Home At Last
by ExplicitFreakinContent
Summary: (see a/n at footer of chapter, oc x logan, jasam, davis family,ethina) 19 years ago, someone took Carolina from her real parents Sam and Jason. Now someone's determined to out the truth at last.. When Carolina comes to town, she finally feels like her life is coming together, with her family being found, but is there more in store for her?
1. Chapter 1

_CHAPTER 01_

_ACCIDENTAL DISCOVERY_

The box fell from the top of the closet by accident. Carolina wasn't expecting it to happen, and truth be told, she hadn't been rummaging through her mother's closet to find out anything this huge, but once she'd sat down on the white hardwood floor, back pressed against the white pocket door of the walk in closet, started going through the box, she was sort of happy it'd happened. The contents of the box explained a lot about her life as a child, explained why she'd never felt like she fit in with her family.

Obviously, according to the paperwork within the box, they were not her real family. According to the paperwork in her slightly trembling hands, her birth parents were a man and woman named Sam and Jason Morgan, and given the sketchiness of the documents, she got the feeling that there was a lot more to this story than she dared imagine.

A knock on the door had her calling out as calmly as she could, "What is it?" as the bedroom door opened and her 4 year old daughter, a curly haired brunette with bright blue eyes, button nose and heart shaped lips -much like her own- skipped into the room and sat down next to her. "Whatcha doin, Mama?" she asked as Carolina looked at her daughter and then said quietly, "I was just trying to find something to wear. You're dressed already, I see.", gigglling a little bit as she took in her daughter's idea of "getting dressed", which was a pale pink tulle skirted dress and a pair of flats. Not much different than she'd been at that age, but enough to make her wonder if her real mother had been like that, and what her biological parents would think of her little girl Coraline, if they ever met her, if things had been different.

"Mama, I gonna be late! And it's my turn to take cupcakes to school!" Coraline insisted, looking at her mom, then at the box in her mom's hands. "What that?" she asked, an innocent enough question for her age. Her mother sighed and said quietly, "It's nothin, baby girl. Let's get you to school and me to work, okay?"

Her daughter nodded and standing, took off full blast towards the outside of the house, the convertible Carolina drove, getting in. Carolina laughed a little and then grabbed her keys, the cupcakes from the counter and walked out of the house, getting into the car.

Normally, she'd have went on to work after dropping off Corky and the cupcakes at her school, but today she drove a few minutes, wondering if there had been some reason she'd found the box today of all days. She just had this feeling that she was being 'nudged' in a certain direction by fate, and being the slight romantic dreamer she was, she wondered what might happen if she did a little digging.

The day couldn't go by fast enough and soon enough, she was home from work, Coraline playing in her room quietly, so she sat down with her laptop and googled the names on the birth certificates, then the name of the woman who'd signed off on the adoption, Heather Webber..

She sat wide eyed as the laptop spat all sorts of things out in the search results, and clicking around, she started to write things down, save pages, book mark things.

Apparently, her real parents were an interesting pair, her mother had been mentioned several times in a small New York newspaper from a town called Port Charles, and apparently her father was a hitman for the Corinthos family.

According to what little she'd found out by the time she decided to finally go to bed after finishing her glass of red wine, she had a little brother, Danny and she would have had a little sister named Lila, had the little girl lived..

She got up from her dining room table and put the laptop away, walking down the hallway to her own bedroom as she pondered over whether to actually dig deeper or just let sleeping dogs lie.

After all, she'd went this long with a somewhat normal and happy existance, why rock the boat now?

But as usual, Fate had other plans and soon, a 19 year old secret was going to come bursting out, whether anyone involved wanted it to or not...

As she slept that night, she had these odd dreams, that a woman at a playground, outside of what looked like a big school or something, was walking towards what appeared to be her daughter. She tried to scream or say something, tried to stop the woman from grabbing her little girl, but she couldn't reach them in time, and the woman disappeared into a black car with dark tinted windows.. When she woke with a cold sweat, it was morning, and she felt like she hadn't gotten an hour of sleep all night long. The first thing she did was run down the hallway and check on Corky, who she found sleeping in the white wooden and pale pink canopy bed in her princess bedroom.. She clutched her hand over her heart and muttered "Thank you Christ alive. If something would've happened to her.." before going to the kitchen to pour herself a cup of green tea to wake herself up and calm herself down.

_CHAPTER 02_

_DIGGING INTO THE PAST_

Today was hell for Sam Morgan. Even if she didn't act like it, it was literally the 9th ring of hell on Earth. Today was the birthday of a daughter she and Jason lost exactly 19 years ago, when Carolina had been kidnapped at age 4. As she sat up in bed, straining to hear the baby monitor, make sure Danny was alright and sleeping still, she debated a moment on just giving into the grief. Then she reminded herself that she had a son and a husband who needed her now, and that she had to get up. The bedroom door opened and Jason walked in, carrying a tray, sitting on the bed as he said quietly, "I know how hard today is for you.. It kills me too." as he usually did on this day every year.

"I just wonder what on Earth could've happened to her, why I can't find her, why we couldn't find her, any trace of her then." Sam muttered quietly as Jason nodded and said "Me too. I mean kids don't just vanish without a trace and whoever took her did a damn good job at covering it." taking a sip of coffee, holding the steamy mug out to Sam who asked "Danny's still asleep?"

"Out like a light. He snores like you." Jason joked a little as Sam pouted at him a moment and said quietly, "I'll have you know, Jason, you are the snorer. Not me."

"Oh no.. You could saw lumber in your sleep, woman. Call in sick today, take a personal day." Jason insisted as Sam shook her head and said "Have to work on building a case for Dr. Clay. I mean we owe the guy that much, he helped us figure out what was wrong with Danny, luckily it wasn't anything serious." as she bit her lower lip and stood, grabbing her clothes, intent on getting a shower.

The doorbell had them both raising a brow and Jason asked "Is Molly or Kristina coming by?"

"Not that I'm aware, no.." Sam said as she asked "It's not Sonny, is it?"

"Umm, doubtful. Sonny probably hasn't even rolled over in bed once yet." Jason said as he looked at the door as the doorbell continued to ring. "I've got it. You go shower then we''ll eat. Probably just a salesman or something." Jason said as he gave his wife a gentle nudge towards the bathroom, sighing to himself.

Today was hard on both of them, it had been for almost 19 years now, since they'd lost Carolina that day. He peeked through the crack he opened the door to, out in the hallway, and saw noone. But he did notice something laying on the welcome mat that sat just below the front door to their penthouse and he opened the door, picked up the package.

"Hey Sam.. You expecting a package?" he called out, before tearing the package open, it's contents spilling onto the dining room table, a menagrie of pictures, mostly of a girl with dark brown hair and bright icy blue eyes, holding a little girl who looked like their own lost daughter Carolina had at that age. It was enough to stun the man of few words into a shocked silence which Sam noticed when she walked back in dressed and ready for work, sitting down with the plate of food Jason made for her to sort of help her through today.

"What's that?" Sam asked as Jason said quietly, "I'm not sure, Sam.. That doorbell was ringing, but when I looked out, nobody was there.. But this was lying on the doormat."

"What is it? Who sent it?" she asked as one picture made her gasp and pick it up, an angry expression painting her face for a moment. "Who the hell would do something like this?" she asked as Jason looked at the picture and realized that it was the one they'd turned in to PCPD to go on Carolina's missing flyer.

Jason shrugged and said quietly, in a stiff voice, "I don't know but it's a fucking sick joke and I have a few suspicions." as he stood and said quietly, "If you get anything else like this, tell me."

Sam nodded and then asked "And where the hell are you going?" as Jason muttered "Well, I'm going to go find my half brother, Sam.. Who's good at sick jokes?"

"But you and Franco didn't even know each other then, Jase.. It couldn't have been him." Sam said as Jason shrugged and said "No, but somehow, he's gonna know who might have done this." as he gave Sam a kiss and told her to be careful going into work, not to let the package and it's contents get to her.

The problem in this, however, was she already had to some degree, and even after he'd left, she sat at the table, looking through the papers, the correspondence from whomever had left the package and whomever had been involved in her daughter being taken and by the time she finished, she just had this nagging feeling that there was something to this so called sick joke..

She just didn't know what it might be, or why the person chose now to do this, bring back all the old pain in fresh waves.. Not that it'd ever really went away, but this awakened something in her..

It awakened a sense of hope.

If someone else knew about this, if someone else was doing this, then maybe, just maybe her oldest child was still out there somewhere...

* * *

><p><strong>AN: This is ****NOT**** a Lila lives story. This hints at Jason and Sam having been together for far longer than they have on the show, so as a result, they're a little older than they are currently on GH. I'd also like to add that Alexis raised Sam in my story, she wasn't ever adopted. Yes, she still lost Lila too, but not for the reasons on the show. Sam and Carly are best friends and have been since Carly came to town on the show, hence the reason Sam named her daughter Carolina.**

**I've seen versions like this where they always use Helena to be the kidnapper -which coincidentally, are probably a thousand and one times better than my story is-. Just to be clear, I wanted to be different, so I am using Heather Webber instead. Her reason for taking Carolina is because for one, we all know she's fucked in the head and two, she felt like Jason was a danger to the little girls life. In her own twisted way, she was protecting the little girl from her son Franco's half brother. Just putting a few of my own little 'theories' about some things that have come to light in the past 2+ years to work here so if you don't like AU you won't like it.**

**This is a ****JaSam/Davis fam/Oc x ? love story****, and**** if it gets any love, I'll keep it coming****. Not sure who I'll pair Carolina (and her litle one, Coraline,aka Corky) with yet, but I know I'm ****not**** considering Dillon, Lucas, Ethan or Spinelli. Any other guy around her age (23) is open for a vote, even if they've 'died' on the show. So if someone from the past or now strikes you, (ie anyone from Johnny to Logan Hayes Baldwin, even that new guy Detective West or Dante) ****tell me!**


	2. Chapter 2

_CHAPTER 03_

_A NOT SO ORDINARY DAY_

The package had come almost a week before by this point, and both mother and daughter, though neither realized it, were both sufficiently convinced that maybe a little digging around in the past was required. And today started off like any other day did for Carolina.

She woke up and got Coraline ready for her pre – kindegarten classes, and herself ready for work, then she drove Coraline to school and since she had an entire day off today, from her own job as co owner of a beauty salon in their hometown of Dallas, Texas, she went back home to the small white house, did at least 3 days worth of cleaning.

The box sat on her dining room table, as well as package she'd received only a few days before today, daunting her. She sighed in frustration as she sat down for a small break and lighting a cigarette, she looked at the box and the package. "They just gave up.. They think I'm dead.. And the people I called Mom and Dad weren't bad people.. I mean other than adopting me illegally from some nutjob named Heather.. Why go stirring the pot?" she murmured to herself as she sat there a few moments..

If the package were anything to go by, she knew that someone out there somewhere wanted her to go digging around in the past, wanted her to remember something that apparently, she must have buried deep down in the dark recesses of her mind. She hated feeling like she was being toyed with and the package's arrival evoked that feeling.

"You got a good life." she said aloud, her subconcious arguing with her the entire time _'But it's never been YOUR life now has it? And with Dalton gone, there's really no reason to stay in Texas. His mama hates you, wishes he'd never met you.. Hell, she won't even see Coraline and when she does run into you, she's constantly criticizing and accusing you of things. He was one of the best things that happened to you, you two had real love. You finally felt like you belonged, with him.. Now you're empty again.. And this shows up.. If that's not a sign, Carlie, I don't know what in God's name is. Look into it.. Wouldn't you like your little girl to have a family that gives a flying fuck about her? Grandparents that might love her?"_

Yeah, she'd been looking for the perfect excuse to leave Dallas a while now, and since the arrival of the package, the discovery of the box in her mother's old bedroom closet.. She just got more and more restless, not to mention curious with each and every single day that passed.

If she got away from Texas, then Dalton's mother couldn't try and take Coraline from her out of spite. She wasn't about to let her little angel wind up with that old bitch because Dalton's mother hated her, felt that Dalton could've and should've done better. She wasn't going to just sit here and pretend that it didn't make her angry as hell every single time his mother did bother to reach out, and the end result was them fighting, Coraline having to hear her grandmother tearing down her parents, telling her she was a mistake made by two kids in lust, not two kids in love.

Yeah, they'd been young, and it might not have been a good idea to have a kid right out of high school, but Dalton was a soldier, they knew that if they wanted to be together, they could make all of it work, despite his parents objections to the entire thing. His mother, especially, had been the one to blame Carolina when Dalton chose the Marines and didn't look back a single time after doing it.

She sighed and raked her hand through her long dark brown hair and bit her lower lip, stubbing out the cigarette in an ash tray on the table as she muttered quietly, "If I don't do this now, I'm never gonna know.. But if I do it, and this is all some kind of joke, or worse, these people got rid of me privately.. "

Before she could finish the sentence her phone rang. She reached over and picked it up from where she'd left it on the counter seperating her kitchen from her dining area in the small house and said quietly, "Yeah?"

Sam gasped a little as she heard the feminine soft voice answer the phone. "Is this the Avery residence?" she asked, crossing her fingers, peering at the door to her office to make sure she didn't have a client waiting in the front room. Spinelli was with Maxie somewhere, they'd taken their little girl Georgie and moved away, now she didn't have anyone to work the front desk for her, she was basically multi tasking as best as she could..

Carolina raised a brow as she realized the area code was a New York one, the same area code listed for the people who were supposedly her real parents.. "Yeah, this is the Avery residence.. I'm Carlie, who's this?"

Sam could've fainted when the girl on the other end of the line identified herself. The shock stunned her a moment, but she remembered that this girl could possibly not know what was going on, or that she'd been kidnapped. According to what she'd found out, everything lead back to Heather Webber, and there was no telling just what Heather had done to her, while she had her or before she'd 'gotten rid' of her.

"I'm Samantha Morgan.. I'm working on a case, actually, and I was wondering if you could answer a few questions for me?" Sam asked as she took a few deep breaths. She had this strong feeling that her hunch to dig had been absolutely right, as her mother predicted it would, when Heather basically admitted that her daughter might still be alive, when asked about it by Detective West and Detective Dante Falconeri.

And Franco, of course, said he remembered finding pictures and letters of a girl.. When shown the old flyer, he said that the girl on the flyer was the girl in the pictures in his mother's cell at the asylum. And Luke, having been 'trapped there' against his will, by Heather, not so long ago, vouced for Franco's accusation.

The whole thing had gone a good ways towards at least partially healing the rift between Jason and Franco, granted they still hated one another, but now, it was at least a civil hatred.

"I.. Sure.. Do you mind me asking you what you want to ask me about?" Carolina asked as she poured herself a cup of green tea and sat down at her kitchen table. She'd heard the voice before, she was almost certain of it, she just had this odd feeling that she knew this woman's voice like she knew the back of her own hand.

She fought off the urge to comment and answered when Sam asked her "Were you adopted illegally?" with a sigh and a quiet mumble of "To be honest, ma'am.. I'm startin to think I was.. Damned if I know why though.. Or where I even came from.. It's been a weird week.. Do you have a reason for callin?"

"It's for a case I'm working on.." Sam said which was partially the truth. She was working on a case, she was going to solve this whole mystery once and for all, at least give herself and Jason, their families some closure.

"Yeah.. But why would you call and just ask that, out of the blue.. This case.. What's it about?" Carolina asked as she bit her nail and scowled when she remembered that she'd just done her own manicure the day before, at work, testing out new colors of polish her salon had gotten in.

"I'm looking for my daughter.. All my digging lead me to you, Carlie." Sam said as she took a deep breath and heard a strange sound on the other end, as if the girl might have dropped the phone on her end or something. Seconds later, Carolina explained quietly, "Dropped the phone and spilled my damned tea.. You said you were lookin for your daughter?"

"Yeah.."

"I just found out I was illegally adopted, actually.. Was thinking of finding my mother.. Funny thing is, she's from the town you're callin from.." Carolina said as she bit her lip, waited. The urgency and sense that this woman sounded really, really familiar when she spoke kept washing over her in waves and she almost commented again about it several times, but she kept quiet instead.

Sam gaped at the phone in shock and then said quickly, "When's your birthday..." as Carolina answered her. The growing feeling in the pit of Sam's stomach only continued to grow as this girl gave her birthday as the same one her daughter had, the day she'd been taken.

"Are you alright?" Carolina asked as Sam said quietly, "Yeah.. Is there any way you can come to Port Charles? I want to do a test and maybe rule you out, give myself some closure.. My daughter was taken from me when she was four.. And since then, my family's been trying to find her, only coming up with dead ends until now.."

Carolina thought it over and then said quietly, "Yeah.. One thing though... My daughter, she's gotta come with me. There is no way in hell I'll leave her with my late husband's bitch of a mother. I don't trust the woman as far as I can throw her, honestly.. It'll be okay, won't it?"

The shock of her own daughter having a daughter hit Sam in a rush and she said calmly, "Yeah. It'll be great." as she felt the hope awakening and the excitement buliding again. Finally, after all this time, she might finally get her oldest child back..

If, of course, this wasn't some sick joke Heather was pulling on all of them...


	3. Chapter 3

_CHAPTER 04_

_The End Of A Nightmare Possibly  
><em>

The person in the seat next to her own woke her to say quietly, "Plane's landed." before standing and making their way off the plane. Her daughter slept on the inside seat, music playing quietly from the earbud in the little girls ear as Carolina leaned over, brushing her bangs out of her eye and whispering, "Wake up, pixie dust."

"Don't wanna." the little girl said with a yawn as she rubbed at her eyes, a little fussy about having to awaken after a good nap. Carolina picked up her daughter, putting her carry on over her left shoulder as they made their way out into the airport. Right away, she was shocked at just how many people stood there, talking quietly. Were they all her family in some way? She hadn't ever really been part of a big family before. And the people who'd raised her, they hadn't had any other children, so she'd been an only child, which she'd never really hated, nor had she ever really liked, either. "Who they?" Coraline asked as she gaped at the crowd of people standing there, a brunette woman similar to Carolina's own heigh holding a sign with their names on it, so they could find her easily.

Nervously, Sam watched the plane that her daughter might be on, as it unloaded. "Do you see them, Jason?" She asked her husband as she moved their son Danny from one hip to the other and Jason scanned the terminal, waiting impatiently himself. "Not yet.. But calm down, Sam, they'll come." he said as he rubbed her lower back, left his arm around her to comfort her. They were both excited, but probably not as excited as his mother and her mother were, both of whom were also standing there. Pretty much the sum of both of their families had shown up to see her, just to satisfy their own curiousities as to whether this whole thing was a joke, or if it were in fact true.

The second he saw her, he couldn't help but smile as memories flooded back to him. "If that's not our daughter, Sam.." his voice trailed off as Alexis nudged her daughter and said quietly, "We found her." and Monica nodded in agreement asking quietly, "She didn't bring her husband or boyfriend with her, Sam?"

"She's single, Monica. Her husband.. He died in a Blackhawk crash while in Iraq. She had nobody but her daughter.. Now she has us.. If this is all true and not some sick joke." Sam said as Kristina spoke up and then pointed out, "Sam, she's a mirror image of you when you were little.. Except for her eyes.. That's Carolina, I just have this feeling." as Molly nodded and biting her lower lip said quietly, "Are we just going to stand here, or are we walking over?"

Jason started to walk towards the young female and her daughter who was looking around wide eyed, curious, sucking her thumb. As soon as Carolina saw the man walking towards her, she remembered something that she knew couldn't possibly be made up.

Things she'd dream about at night as a child made more sense now.. She never fit in with her family, because they hadn't really been her family.. These people, she got the strongest feeling she'd ever had in her entire life, were her family.

"Carolina.." Jason said as he looked at his 23 year old daughter.. He hardly spoke at all, but right now, his eyes, the expression on his face said all he needed to say. He hugged her and she hugged back and then the brunette woman walked over hugging her also, starting to cry.

This felt like a scene out of some kind of a movie, or one of her old dreams from childhood. "So.. Are we ready to find out if someone's screwin with us all or not?" Carolina managed to get out as she looked at the two people in front of her, the people she had a feeling were actually her parents.

Coraline reached for the man with blue eyes and smiling she said "You needs a pink shirt."

"Nah." Jason laughed as he held the little girl then asked "What's your name?"

"Corky, Mama call me Corky." Coraline muttered as she went to the dark haired woman next. Sam laughed a little as she looked at the little girl who could possibly be her granddaughter. It was a lot to take in, but she loved the little girl already. She had to hope like hell this all turned out to be true. "How old are you?" Sam asked as Coraline held up 4 fingers and said shyly, "I big girl."

"She is.. She thinks, ma'am, she's 4 and goin on 24." Carolina admitted, being hugged by two other brunette girls who introduced themselves as her aunts. And the older of the two smiled and said "I was probably a baby, but I remember you used to put makeup all over me.. "

Carolina looked at her and then like before, she remembered this girl somehow, said quietly, "I actually think I remember that now." while biting her lower lip. Two older women came next, hugging her, telling her how she used to pretend to be a queen or a princess, how she watched The Little Mermaid every night almost for an entire year, and asking her all kinds of questions she couldn't answer all at once, but she really did try to do so. Wiping at her eyes, she said quietly, " All things considered, Monica, I'm fine." as Monica asked about her, if she were okay.

She was, but she wasn't. But since she'd gotten off the plane about 30 minutes before, she had to say, she felt a lot better about things.. These people didn't feel like strangers. They felt like family, and she found herself hoping against all hope that they actually were her real family.

"So.. we go to the hospital now.. Right?" She asked Sam as Sam asked quietly, "Do you want to go ahead and get this done?"

"More than anything." Carolina answered as she managed a brave smile.


	4. Chapter 4

_CHAPTER 05_

_The End Of A Nightmare Possibly, II  
><em>

The results should've been in at least an hour ago, and currently, all the members of the Davis family, and over half of Jason's family sat in the waiting room of the hospital. They kept insisting to Sam and to Carolina that this all had to be real, there was just no way she couldn't be the daughter they lost. But both mother and daughter kept insisting calmly that they wanted to at least see the results, satisfy their own matching sense of curiousity. Alexis walked back into the waiting area with a cup of coffee and held one out to Sam who shook her head but Carolina reached up and took it, thanking Alexis as Coraline played nearby at a table, crayons and coloring books spread out all around her.

The door to the lab opened slowly, Sam and Carolina's head snapped up, both eager, both worried. Jason looked from one to the other, gave their hands a squeeze as he nudged them forward and then said with a smile, "Just go find out what we all already know. Then we'll talk about how you're moving back here."

Carolina laughed a little and looked at Sam, asked quietly, "Ready?"

"Let's go inside and do this." Sam said as the lab tech held out their envelope with the results inside. Both of them eyed the envelope warily which lead to Jason taking it, ripping it open, smirking as he saw what he'd thought all along, since she'd gotten off the plane a few hours ago, written in black and white.

"Well? I mean since you didn't let either of us open the damn thing." Sam teased her husband gently, as Jason said quietly, "We finally found her." turning to Carolina, smiling a little. Alexis hugged the girl and then said quietly "I knew it was you the second you stepped off that plane.. You looked exactly like you did when you were younger. Just grown up." Carolina nodded and said quietly, "I can't believe this all happened.. I mean I never had a clue any of this was possible, my so called parents never even said a word."

"They couldn't, most likely, they knew they'd adopted you illegally, so they did whatever they could to get by, get around your questions." Sam muttered as she hugged her daughter and then said quietly through tears, "I never thought this was going to happen. Now that it has, Carlie.."

When her real mother called her that, she had another memory come to the front of her mind, of all the times her mother and father called her that when she was little. She remembered now, she'd been named after her 'aunt' Carly, a friend of her mother's. She smiled and said quietly, "And now, it's like Dad said.. We talk about me movin back here.. There's nothin holdin me in Texas. I can open a beauty salon here. I can work at a beauty salon here. I want my little girl to have a family that actually loves her and cares about her as much as I do. As much as Donny did." Carolina admitted as she looked at her parents, her grandparents who all nodded in agreement.

Molly walked over to the little girl, sitting down at the childs sized table that she sat at. "So, it looks like you and your mommy are moving here. Are you excited?" Molly asked as the little girl stopped coloring and fixed bright and icy blue eyes on her and said quietly, "Mhmm.. I misses my daddy though. He die before I got big.. I was soooo little when he die." as she sucked her thumb a few minutes, eyeing the older dark haired girl, wondering if she could actually trust her. She really didn't know how to deal with having family now, it'd always just been her, her mama, her daddy, until of course, her daddy died when she was maybe a year old.

"It's okay.. I miss my dad too.. I mean I talk to him a lot.. I just hardly get to see him." Molly said as she picked up the little girl, carried her over to her niece, Carolina, hugging her. "You guys are okay, you're home now." she said quietly as Carolina nodded her head, added "Feels more like home than Texas ever did. Texas hasn't felt like home since my husband died."

Kristina spoke up and said quietly, "So.. You guys are moving here like now.. Right? The sooner the better.. I mean if your late husband's mother is as bad as you say she is, you're gonna want to be settled, stable and ready.. Just in case she comes after you for Coraline."

Carolina studied her aunt a few moments and then nodded as she said quietly, "She's been trying to, off and on, for years now. Hell, she started when my husband was still alive." as Sam said firmly, "She won't get her. Not with all of us helping you."

Alexis and Monica asked quietly, "Why's she so against you having your own child?" with Carolina explaining quietly, "She hated the fact that we ever met. She hated me because I wasn't from the right side of town, constantly told her son how trashy I was, how he was making the worst mistake of his life. They were loaded, of course. She really fucking hated it when he turned his back on their oil wells and all the businesses he could have partially owned, married me and joined the Marines. He wanted to be an EMT when he got done with his active duty... But he never made it home this time. Coraline's only seen him a few times since she was born." Carolina explained as she sighed, gave a sad smile and said quietly, "But it's okay, I have my little girl, I'm getting to know all of you now." while looking around the room.

Monica spoke up and asked "Do you intend on staying in Port Charles? I mean you have family who wants you here with us, both of you.." to which Carolina nodded and said quietly, with a sort of smile, "Yeah.. I mean I've been wanting to leave Texas for a while now, like I told you all.. This just gives me a good reason to do it, stop being afraid to take a chance.. Which brings me to my next question.. Can I stay with someone? Just until Corky and I are on our feet and I'm back to work, of course."

Sam and Jason spoke up and said quietly, "You'll come home, stay with us, of course." as they hugged her. After a little longer, the crowd in the hospital that'd been there, waiting on results dwindled and soon, Sam, Jason, Carolina and her daughter, her little brother Danny made their way home to Jason's penthouse.

There was a lot that Carolina needed to do, but she was so tired after the day she'd had, right now, she just wanted more than anything, to rest. She could start trying to build a new life, reacquainting herself with her family now. It no longer felt like her life made no sense. Most of it at least.

She'd just keep trying to work through her grief and maybe one day she wouldn't remember how much it hurt to lose her late husband.. But at least now, she wasn't in it alone. And she was feeling a little more confident now, a lot happier. To some degree, she'd gotten a form of closure now, knowing the whole truth about her past, her parents and what'd happened to her as a child.

But little did she realize that her journey was far from over, it was in fact, only just beginning.


	5. Chapter 5

_CHAPTER 06_

_Finally Home Pt I  
><em>

The early morning sun shone through the window, bouncing off the bright and blinding pink walls of what was apparently her old room when she'd been a baby. Her little girl loved the pinkness of the room, Carolina of course, wasn't so fond of it now as she might have been back then. She sat up and rubbed at her eyes, looked at her cell phone, gritting her teeth when she realized that her former mother in law must have gotten the email she sent earlier in the week, explaining how she was moving to New York with Coraline, raising her here, with her own family and not her late husbands family in Texas.

The woman was furious, Carolina could hear it in the clenched Texas drawl of the older woman in the 18 messages she'd left on her cellular's voicemail, filling it completely up. She threatened legal action and Carolina laughed to herself as she stood and pulled on a big shirt lying nearby, swearing a little in frustration. Let her late husband's mother try something. She practically dared the woman now, she was waiting on her to do something stupid.

She made her way down the hallway, stopping in her little brother's room to check on him, he was still sleeping soundly, Coraline, apparently, had already been up this morning, and was curled up in the crib next to little Danny, a book lying upside down on her little chest. She must have been reading to Danny while he sipped his bottle.

She loved being around Danny, having a younger child to baby and pamper. Then again, Carolina had at that age too, sadly, Carolina had nobody. Now Coraline would have Danny and a few other kids around her own age to play with. This was another reason she'd decided ultimately to make the visit a more permanent one.

After all, nothing was holding her in Texas any longer. And now, hearing the voicemails, she only felt more assured that moving here to bond with her real parents after all this time was a really good idea. That she was doing the right thing. She smiled to herself as she turned and walked down the hallway, her smile falling away when her phone rang again, breaking through her thoughts.

"That's my son's kid.. You have no rights to move her all the way across the United States. I'm gonna sue you for full custody.. God knows she'd be better off bein raised by me than you anyway, girl, you haven't ever been anything but white trash. From the second my son laid eyes on you I knew." her former mother in law hissed as Carolina laughed and said "Last time I checked, Lenore, takes trash to know trash. We all gotta start somewhere, huh? I mean hell.. You were married what.. Ten times before you hooked yourself a big one, landed a politician.. Then came your son.. Probably the only decent thing you ever did in your life. Your son is gone, Lenore.. And you have done nothing but make my life and the life of my little girl hell since you lost him. My daughter hates you and personally? I'd die before I let her live with you. Grandmother or not, Lenore, the day you get custody of my little angel is the day I lose all faith in humanity and the justice system." Carolina said as the phone was taken from her hands and her mother mouthed "Go eat breakfast, Carlie, mom's got this one."

"Who the hell is this?" Lenore asked as she flicked ashes into an ash tray, waved her housekeeper over with a disdainful look and said quietly, "Do something about this ash tray." before asking again, "Who the hell is this? Where did Carolina go?"

"This is Carolina's mother, ma'am.. And before you say anything else, I'll just tell you that you're really making a huge mistake if you are really stupid enough to pursue this case in open court. My daughter's told me all about you, what you did to her, what you tried to do when you found out she and your son eloped and she was pregnant. If you even remotely think that you stand a snowball's chance in hell of getting custody of my granddaughter, lady, go ahead.. Just know that her grandmother, my own mother is the assistant district attourney of Port Charles New York and she's a very very successful lawyer. You don't have a chance in hell of winning any case you think you might have. All I have to do, ma'am is make one little bitty phone call."

Lenore slammed down her phone, gritting her teeth in anger as she glared at the phone in her hands. How dare that woman talk to her like that. "Stuck up, snotty, high society damn New Yorkers. Now I know why that Carolina was always a snotty little bitch. Apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

Sam handed her daughter the phone back and Carolina gave her mother a high five as she said "So.. Guess this means I should save my voicemails and go to grandma's on my way back from talking to that salon I put in an application at the other day, huh?"

"As soon as you can. That woman, I swear to God.. She makes me want to book a ticket to Texas just to kick her ass." Sam said as Jason chuckled and rubbed her shoulders, said to Carolina, "And now we all see where you get your temper."

"What temper, sir?" Carolina asked as Jason quickly filled her in on the two or three good tantrums she'd had as a child before she'd been taken and passed for dead. Carolina bit her lower lip and said with a laugh, "Aww hell.. Not that different now. And as little as I slept last night? Lenore was walking a real thin line when she actually had the nerve to call me back." making Jason laugh as he said "Corky was up early today.. She fell asleep reading to Danny. But first, she got to watch cartoons with grandpa." still a little shocked about referring to himself as grandpa anything. He didn't feel that old. But he loved having his daughter back, he loved having her daughter as a grandchild. This entire thing was finally over, they could be a family again, they could all finally be happy and put everything behind them.

Sam spoke up and asked, "So.. Molly told you she'd come by with Rafe after school today, watch Danny and Coraline while you're at that interview and I'm looking into your former mother in law's background, right?" as she handed Carolina a piece of toast and then said "Because I'm going to do that first thing.. I'm going to see if there is anything your grandmother can use against this Lenore woman to keep her from getting Coraline."

"There's probably tons, Mom. And yeah, I think she texted me after she realized that Lenore filled my answering machine." Carolina said as she added, "I might be late.. I also put in an application to do make up for photo shoots at that magazine, Crimson.. The one in Aunt Carly's hotel?"

Sam nodded and said "You have our cell phone numbers, right?"

"Mhmm."

Jason kissed them both and said "And I have to get down to Sonny's warehouses. He's waiting on some coffee shipment to come in, then I have a meeting with investors about maybe opening a new branch of the restaurant. But if either of you need anything, call me. I mean it." as he looked at them and smiled, grabbing the keys to his motorcycle, walking out of the apartment.

Sam and Carolina sat down at the table, going back over everything Lenore had done, seeing if there were a case to be built against her and around lunch time, she left to go in for the interview at the two places she'd applied to work to. She'd just stepped onto the elevator, was talking on the phone to Kristina, her aunt, when she dropped her purse. She was about to bend, pick it up when a dark haired male nearby said with a smile, "I got it." before bending, picking up the dropped purse, handing it back to her, joking a moment, "What do you have in here, a brick?"

"Nope.. Just everything I normally wind up needin during the day." Carolina said as the guy introduced himself and said with a smirk, "Detective Nathan West. I was heading to my place actually, it's on the floor above this one? Did you just move in?"

"It's kind of a long story, actually, my mom.. I'm living with my parents and my daughter in the apartment on this floor. We moved here from Texas."

"Ahh.. Good place to start over, I guess.. I mean if that's what you're doing?" Nathan asked as she looked at him, wondering what was with all the slightly nosy questions. She smiled and then said "Sort of." the elevator coming to a stop in the lobby a few moments later. As she walked out of the elevator, he said casually, "It was nice meeting you.. and fair warning.. Some guys around here aren't exactly good. Might want to watch out."

"Thanks for the warning. But I think I can handle me." she said as she shook her head and walked out of the lobby of the building, getting into her car, heading to her interview. "He might have been a good guy.. But all the questions, really?" she muttered as she raked her hand through her hair and laughed a little. If all the guys here were like him, then her father wouldn't have to worry a bit about her ever dating again, she'd be perfectly content to stay single for the duration.

Not that she wasn't now, of course.


	6. Chapter 6

_(A/N: Logan won the poll, I just decided to go with him. There are so few Logan fics around now, everyone seems to like using Johnny or Dante and Spinelli. I missed Logan, so I'm going to be pairing him with my original character. This is sort of leading into that. It's a little angsty, a few fluffy moments, and their whole relationship, as I've got it plotted in my pretty lil head, will be intense and strong, passionate and definitely have ups and downs. This.. It's just the beginning. Damn it, I only wish they'd given Logan a love story like this.)_

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><p><em>CHAPTER 07<em>

_A Lunch Date, Pt I_

Today had been one of those days.. It'd all started that morning when she slept late and then had to rush around getting herself and her daughter ready for work and daycare in less than 10 minutes.. And the pattern had continued once she'd gotten to work and realized that she had a full and possibly irritating day ahead of her, back to back dye jobs, 3 of the pickiest women in Port Charles coming into the salon to get their hair and makeup ready for the 2014 Nurses Ball, her aunt Tracy being one of them sadly, and then just when she thought it couldn't get any worse, around noon, with her aunt Tracy sitting in one of the stylist chairs, watching like a hawk, some bigshot asshole of a lawyer her former mother in law back in Texas hired had her served with papers, stating that she intended to go forward with a custody suit against Carolina, for custody of her daughter, Coraline.

So by the time she was ready to go to lunch, Carolina was working on probably the worst migraine she'd had in about 3 years or so and she was in a bit of a mood. Her aunt Tracy spoke up and said quietly, "You're not a bad mother, there's no way that woman can do this."

"Aunt Tracy, if you ask that woman, I'm satan spawn. I took her son away from her. She even blames me for his death while he was serving overseas. The only reason she wants to do this is because she knows it hurts me. She wants to take Coraline out of spite." Carolina said as she paced, reading the documents that she'd been served with no less than an hour before, Tracy eyeing her in slight concern. She wasn't entirely fond of the girl yet, but she definitely couldn't deny that her niece had gotten the Quartermaine fight instinct in spades. And like her father, Jason, she never seemed to let much rattle her.

But it looked as if willpower were wearing thin, Tracy could sort of sense that maybe Carolina hadn't been sleeping well lately, that she was stressed out and that it was only a matter of time before she snapped because of everything.

"She won't do it. Your mother and your grandmother will stop that from happening. Are you sure this looks exactly like my usual cut and color?" Tracy asked, eyeing the mirror as Carolina nodded and said "That red is deeper though. Brings out your eyes more, actually."

Tracy smirked a little and then standing said "Just show that to your mother tonight."

Carolina nodded and said quietly, "I'm going to. But I'm equally tempted to just take a flight back to Texas, finally kick her ass, just one good time."

"Doing that might make you feel better, but it only makes things look worse for you. The best thing you can do, Carolina, and your grandmothers will both tell you this, is to make it known you've got a stable life here, that you can take care of your daughter." Tracy said as she paid her niece for the cut and color, walked out the door. Carolina walked to the back of the salon and out the door that lead into the alley and she punched the walls a few times, swearing up a storm as she lit a cigarette and sat down on the cement stoop.

The door closed in the salon and she called out through the back door, "Back here aunt Kristina." thinking it'd be Kristina or Molly, they usually popped in to visit during her lunch breaks. Instead, she looked up, found a guy standing there, looking around the place with a raised brow, his hand in his close cropped dark blond hair.

She snickered as she stepped into the main area of the salon and asked casually, "Lost, sir?" as Logan looked right at her and said with a smirk, "Nope."

"What do you need? We're on lunch right now." Carolina said as Logan eyed her a moment and then said quietly, "Maxie said you'd be in here... She was gonna try to set us up or something?" as she groaned, bit her lower lip and palmed her forehead then said "It hasn't actually been a good day. I must have forgotten.." with an apologetic smile as he shrugged, held out a bag spotted with heavy grease marks.

"You can still eat, right?" he asked as she eyed him a moment. She was going to kick Maxie and Lulu's asses collectively for this later, but all in all, he was admittedly easy on the eyes.

The fact remained, she'd told all of them, from her aunts to her new friends she just wasn't interested in dating anyone. She didn't want to forget what she had with her former husband, she just wasn't ready. He coughed as he held out the food bag again and then said with a slightly cocky smirk, "I'm Logan."

"Carolina." she said quietly, taking the food bag as she said quietly, "Today's been one of those days."

He studied her a moment and then said quietly, "Wanna talk about it? I mean I'm not good at most stuff, but I can listen." while flopping down in the stylists chair, tearing into his own double cheeseburger, taking a bite and looking at her. He still was trying to figure out why Maxie and Lulu insisted he come down here, talk to her, she didn't seem the least bit interested in him, not at all.

He'd been sort of noticing her around for a while now, and Coop kept trying to make him talk to her, Maxie and Lulu even tried to do that. He just never got around to it. After the whole fiasco with Lulu a few years ago, he just really didn't date a whole 'd never really gotten over her, not even after she'd attempted to murder him during a blackout.

"You probably don't wanna hear it, trust me." Carolina said as she took out her own food, looked at him with a brow raised. "How'd you?"

"Maxie said you practically live on those when you're workin." Logan said as he shrugged and looked at her a few moments, smiled a little. "Plus, I usually take my lunch the same time as you do, I've seen you in Kelly's. You always order the same thing."

"You work at the fire station.. Right? You're a fireman?"

"I volunteer.. I'm an EMT actually." Logan admitted as he said "So.. Our friends aren't gonna stop until we do this.. So let's just eat.. If you don't wanna see me again after, it's fine." while taking a bite of his food, knowing even as he said it'd be fine, he wouldn't actually be fine with it.

He'd sort of been watching her from a distance for a while now, but he never approached because of his past hangups, he didn't want to meet a girl, get close to her again, then do something to mess it up like he had so many times in his past, the worst of those times being with Lulu.

And from what little he did know about her, he knew she was just getting over the loss of a husband. Granted, it'd been almost 3 years, but the grief and pain could still be seen plainly by anyone who bothered to look at her. And she had a kid.. Logan knew that alone should've been enough to send him running for the hills, but it wasn't for some reason.

He still wanted to get to know her, at least. But he wasn't going to push her if she didn't want to get to know him any better. After all, he wasn't the greatest at being in a relationship. He tended to mess up and he tended to mess up often and in the worst of ways possible.

Or he had when he'd tried dating Lulu.

Carolina studied him, her eyes gazing at her ring finger next, a guilty feeling. Truthfully, she'd seen him around, but she kept telling herself that even if her former husband was dead, she was still very much married. That she had a daughter to think about and while the man she'd loved and lost might not want her to live out her life alone and miserable, 3 years was just a little too soon to be getting attracted to anyone.

What kind of example would she be setting for her little girl if she did that?

"Never said I wouldn't wanna see you again. Just doubting it'll lead to anything." she admitted honestly as Logan nodded and said "I heard.. About you losing your husband." while chewing his food, staring at her intently as she ate also. She nodded and then said quietly, "And Maxie and Lulu told me about your whole past with them.." while watching him as intently as he'd been watching her, chewing her food.

The tension, a good and excited one, though neither of them noticed this at the time, was so thick in the air you could almost cut it with a knife. She managed a smile as she said aloud, "Thanks.. For the food, I mean.. And coming by. I'm sorry I forgot Lulu and Maxie set us up and we were supposed to meet at the diner today.. I've just.. I've had a lot on my mind."

"I can tell." Logan admitted as he asked "Do you wanna talk about that?"

"My mother in law is going to try and take my little girl away from me. For spite mostly. I'm worried about that more than anything. I know my grandmother and my mother will do whatever they can to help keep that from happening.. But Lenore.. She's got all this money and power.. None of it's actually hers, but she's still got that in her arsenal."

Logan chuckled a little and then said quietly, "Ahh.. Mother in law is basically taking out the loss of her son on you. She actually can't do anything without breaking one hell of a lot of laws. How old is your daughter?"

Carolina smiled and said "She's four." as she sipped her soda, looked at him and then asked, "What about you, Logan? I mean Maxie lead me to believe that you wanted to meet me, but for whatever reason you wouldn't approach me?"

"Let's just say I'm a grade A fuck up and leave it alone, alright?" Logan replied thoughtfully as he ate his food, added quietly, "If you don't believe me, ask my old man.. Or Lulu, hell, I'm imagining she told you every bad thing I've ever done, darlin." while holding her gaze.

Carolina shrugged and said quietly, "Yeah? Well see, I'm not really someone who judges people based solely on what other people tell me about them. You seem okay.. I mean you actually showed up today, I on the other hand, forgot all about this. And I feel like an idiot for that. Again, I'm sorry." while she took a cherry from the soda, bit into it, discarding the stem in a napkin.

He stretched and then standing said "Lunch is almost up. Like I said.. Our friends put us up to this.. If you don't wanna see me again, I understand." while lingering in the doorway a moment, watching her straighten up the salon. She stopped him by saying aloud, "Let me make up the fact that I forgot about today?"

He managed a smile as she took a few deep breaths and reminded herself that one could never have too many friends and he seemed like a good guy.. And she had sort of noticed him too, which is how Maxie and Lulu wound up setting this up..

Even if nothing ever happened, at least she couldn't say she hadn't honestly tried to let someone in. At least that's what she was telling herself right now.

"What'd you have in mind?"

"You don't mind me bringing Coraline, do you?" she asked as he smiled, shook his head and said "I ain't really great around kids, but no, I don't mind that at all." and she finished, said quietly, " Tonight.. There's this place, it's a pizzaria, they have all kinds of stuff to play in.. Do you wanna come with me and Coraline?"

"Yeah, it works for me. I'll pick you up though."

"It's not the 50's."

"No, but I'm not a complete asshole, either." Logan said as she smiled a little, walked out of the salon and down the sidewalk to the fire station, humming to himself. So he'd taken a step. Maybe now Maxie and Lulu would stop bitching at him, maybe Coop would stop telling him that he wasn't doing himself any good living in the past. After all, he was trying..

So if he wound up screwing this up, he couldn't say he hadn't tried.


	7. Chapter 7

_(A/N: Logan won the poll, I just decided to go with him. There are so few Logan fics around now, everyone seems to like using Johnny or Dante and Spinelli. I missed Logan, so I'm going to be pairing him with my original character. This is sort of leading into that. It's a little angsty, a few fluffy moments, and their whole relationship, as I've got it plotted in my pretty lil head, will be intense and strong, passionate and definitely have ups and downs. This.. It's just the beginning. Damn it, I only wish they'd given Logan a love story like this.)_

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><p><em>CHAPTER 07<em>

_A Lunch Date, Pt II_

Sam walked into the apartment to find Carolina rushing around almost as nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of moving rocking chairs. She picked up her granddaughter and Coraline told her with a giggle, "Aunty Maxie talk Mama into goin out." as Sam eyed her daughter who said aloud, "Fuck! What the hell do you wear to a date that's not even a date?" and tossed more clothing out of her closet, scowling as she flopped onto the bed in the pink bedroom.

"So.. who is this not a date date with? I mean I am your mother.." Sam said as she looked at Carolina who said "A guy Maxie and Lulu keep trying to set me up with. His name's Logan and he's a fireman and an EMT. And no, mom, it's not serious.. And it won't ever be serious. He seems just as anti dating as I am.. I'm just doing this because I forgot about Maxie setting us up for lunch today and I felt bad." Carolina said as Sam picked up a sundress, her daughter's brown boots and a denim jacket, shoved them at her and then asked with a smile, "What about Coraline?"

"He say I can go too!" Coraline clapped, giggling as Sam shot her daughter a look and Carolina said "That's to further enforce the fact that this is not a date, Mom. Besides, Coraline's my little girl. If men can't accept that, don't want 'em around."

Sam nodded and smiling said " Dating won't hurt. It's been 3 years."

"It has, yes, but I'm.. What me and my man had, mom.. You won't find that again.. I mean we weren't some fairytale, I'm not saying that. We were a long way from a fairytale.. But when I had him, it just felt like.. It felt like finally, things fit... Like they do now.." Carolina admitted as Sam nodded and said quietly, "But he wouldn't want you sitting around miserable, either. If you noticed Logan too.." while looking at her daughter intently. Carolina shrugged and said "I noticed him alright.. Kind of hard not to notice the cocky bastard, really.. But I just... I don't wanna bring men in and out of Corky's life.."

"Like the woman who raised you did yours?" Sam asked casually as Carolina nodded and said "Exactly.. I don't wanna be that mom. I want my little girl to have what you and Dad have.. An actual family.. With a mother and a father. Her father's dead, so.."

Sam sighed and then said " So you're perfectly willing to ignore any and all feelings you might have about anyone? What if you find that one person who you can't ignore?" as Carolina dressed Coraline for the night, said quietly, "I'm gonna have to find a way then, aren't I?"

Sam sighed and then asked "And you think this would make him happy?"

"Probably not.. But he's not here, now is he?" Carolina asked as Sam said quietly, "Just think about what I said. Your father would probably be glad to hear you saying what you just did, but all we both want for you, Carlie, is for you to be happy. Not saying I'm Logan's biggest fan, but if you two noticed one another.. Maybe it wouldn't be bad for you to get to know one another.. Friends aren't a bad thing to have."

"Good point." she said as she finished dressing her daughter, then took her clothing and let her mother get Coraline, went into the bathroom to change herself. Sam looked at the 8 or 9 pictures that her daughter kept around of her former husband and sighing said "You don't look like the kind of guy that'd want her to willingly settle for misery. A little help would be great."

Coraline said with a giggle, "Me wanna find a daddy.. I misses my daddy, but mama not happy by herself. She never smile."

Sam nodded and kissing her granddaughter's forehead said with a little laugh, "I agree. Maybe we should try and help her out with that?" as she took Coraline down the hallway to Danny's nursery, let Coraline and Danny play with his toy cars on his floor, watching them as she smiled to herself.

As a mother, all she wanted was for her own daughter to have what she had with Jason, find a man she loved, build a new life, move on. Living in the past like Carlie was, it wasn't healthy for her and Sam knew this. And she was honestly just thankful that her daughter hadn't noticed one of the other men in town like Diego Alcazar or Johnny Zaccara, or any number of other ones.

In some ways, she could sort of see why her daughter might notice Logan as opposed to the others. He did resemble her late husband a lot in actions and in looks, from what she'd seen of her daughter's former husband in pictures, been told about him when they talked about everything and anything like they often did.

Carolina finished getting ready right as the door to the apartment was knocked on. She smoothed her hands down her dress and said quietly, "This doesn't have to lead anywhere.. You're just being friends with the guy, that never hurt anyone." as she looked at the ring on her finger, the one she still hadn't taken off, didn't have the heart to take off and pack away.

Coraline ran down the hallway, opening the door to the apartment as Logan knelt down and smirked a little, said casually, "Well, you're just a cute little fairy aren't ya?" as he smiled at the little girl. She looked almost exactly like a little miniature of her mother, he for a split second, dreaded what would happen when the little girl grew up, and to his surprise, the mental image came quickly, shocking him..

He saw himself, older, watching her get ready for a dance, then opening the door to a house, letting some punk in to pick her up. He mentally reminded himself that this was just two people grabbing food after work, one of them had a small child with her. It was not a date, and even if it were, somewhere down the line, he'd inevitably screw things up like he always seemed to.

She walked out into the living room, grabbing her purse and keys and he coughed as he looked at her. Sam said from behind her, "Are you sure you don't want your dad and I to take Coraline?"

"It's fine, Mom, really. I've been promising I'd take her to this pizza place.. " Carolina said quickly as she looked at Logan, said sheepishly, "I'd have been ready but I had to give my little girl a bath.. She got into all mommy's makeup."

Logan chuckled and gave Sam a nod as he said quietly, "I'm not gonna keep 'em out too late." Sam nodding and saying simply, "Just have fun."

As they walked out the door to the apartment, he felt himself being sort of glad Jason hadn't been there when he'd shown up. They didn't exactly get along, that would have been a tense face to face, and this time, he wasn't sure if he'd have been able to really blame Jason for not wanting his daughter anywhere near the likes of him, really.

He opened the car door for her, let Coraline get into her seat, let Carolina fasten the little girl in as the little girl excitedly jabbered a mile a minute about daycare, about going out with them tonight, about pretty much anything, and as he drove them to the pizzaria, he found himself smiling a good bit more than he did a lot of the time. The little girl made up the conversation that he and Carolina lacked, and once they were in the building, he spotted a row of games, smiled as he said "Get the hell out.. I love these places... So, Coraline.. Do you wanna go try to win a stuffed animal? I haven't played on the crane machine in a while, but I think I might just be able to win you somethin."

The little girl nodded excitedly and tugged on Carolina's hand, she laughed and the three of them made their way to the row of crane machines in the brightly colored and very noisy building. She smiled at him as he took a dollar, flattened it against the machine and slid it into the slot.

After about 4 tries, Coraline was carrying around probably the biggest and fuzziest bright pink and purple unicorn that Carolina might have ever seen. They found a table and as they ate, Logan said quietly, "It's hard.. When you lose someone."

She nodded and said " It is. It's harder now though, because I'm scared to death that somehow, Lenore will take my daughter from me. Other than my family, my little girl's all I really have left. I love her so much.." as she watched Coraline playing nearby in a ball pit with some other little kids her age, smiled and added, "If I have to kill that woman, to keep my daughter from her? I'd do it with no hesitation."

Logan nodded and sipping his drink he said quietly, "I really don't think you have anything to worry about. Power and money aren't everything now, and your mom, she's a damn good private investigator, your grandmother is a damn good attorney. And neither of them really like it when an outsider messes with their family. I've been here long enough to know that, trust me." while holding her gaze. She nodded and said quietly, "I just.. I'm afraid and I know it's irrational, that she has no grounds, but still, parts of me worry."

"It's called being a good parent." he said as he smiled a little and said "Wanna know something?"

"What's that?"

"I think the first time I actually saw you, it was when you were out on the playground with your brother Danny and Coraline. I loved watching you with them, you seemed so down to earth.. I wanted to come over and talk to you then, but I didn't because I'm just.. I'm not a good guy, I never have been. Things tend to go to hell around me." Logan admitted. Carolina smiled and then said quietly, "I'm not a saint either." as she smiled at him and then said "I think the first time I really noticed you, actually, was when that shop just down from the salon had that wire mishap and you guys had to stop the fire before it went any farther than the wall the wire was in.. Just watching you work, the way you stayed so calm, knew exactly what had to happen to keep the place from burning down, exactly how many people needed medical attention."

"I was a medic in the Marines." he admitted, chuckled and said "Can't tell you how many times someone's told me I'm too cold." as he looked at her. She shrugged and said quietly, "It's not coldness.. It's staying calm when other people are panicking all around you.. You reminded me a lot of him that day.. I mean I know it's probably not good that I say that, but you really did.." while holding his gaze, managing a smile.

"You're prettier when you really smile." Logan blurted as he looked at her, mentally kicked himself for doing that, blurting that out. They barely knew one another.

She shook her head and then said quietly, "I used to smile all the time.. My life the past few years, it's been nothing to really smile over.. Finding out who my real parents are, bonding with them and having my daughter have actually been the headlights of my life lately."

"I've had a good time tonight." Logan admitted as he sipped his drink then stood, eyeing the ball pit with a mischevious grin, holding out his hand. Carolina looked at him, shaking her head.

"Oh c'mon, really? You were all over the jungle gym at the park with your brother and your little girl the day I first noticed you.. It's not gonna hurt to play in the ball pit now." he said as she looked at him, he gave her a challenging gaze and smirking said "Fine. But if I get stuck, Mr. Fireman.. You're gonna have to get both our asses outta there."

"I think I can handle it." Logan said with a smirk as they got into the ball pit with Coraline, making her giggle, scramble up onto Logan's shoulders. As the little girl sat there, she thought to herself about the little bit she did remember about her daddy.. And she thought he might like this man, that this man might make mommy happy again..

Maybe he could be her new daddy... It couldn't hurt the little girl to try..


	8. Chapter 8

_(A/N: Logan won the poll, I just decided to go with him. There are so few Logan fics around now, everyone seems to like using Johnny or Dante and Spinelli. I missed Logan, so I'm going to be pairing him with my original character. It's a little angsty, a few fluffy moments, and their whole relationship, as I've got it plotted in my pretty lil head, will be intense and strong, passionate and definitely have ups and downs. This.. It's just the beginning. Damn it, I only wish they'd given Logan a love story like this.)_

_(This chapter was just something that popped into my head while watching the recent stuff between Molly and Alexis. It's more or less involving all the Davis Girls though, I mean they have this amazing bond, I can totally see this happening, and I wish they'd have done this on the show isntead of a lot of the things they are doing.)_

* * *

><p><em>CHAPTER 08<em>

_Family Drama & Other Things  
><em>

"She did what?" Carolina gaped at her mother as Sam explained, "Yes.. Apparently when your grandmother went to the hotel last night, she did catch Molly about to sleep with Trevor. And now Molly and mom are fighting. So there is a chance, Carlie, that your aunt will show up here this afternoon, if she doesn't go to Ric." and continued to stir the soup the two of them were attempting to make while pop music played in the background and Kristina sat there gaping at Sam in shock before blurting out, "That's it.. One of us older women needs to impart our wisdom on her. I swear, I have no idea what's gotten into that head of hers."

"How was grams about it?" Carolina asked Sam as she sipped some of the broth for the soup, earning her a smack on the back of the head from her mom, making her spit it in the sink when she said "Ughh.. Mom, we need more.. I don't know what, but that is nothing like chicken noodle soup base tastes.. I told you, Mom, it was a bad idea to try and do this recipe when we all saw it."

Sam sighed and then said "I know, I just thought that your grandmother might want something to calm her nerves when she got out of her meeting with that client later and stopped by. If Molly is here, I'll talk to your grandmother, you two take Molly into another room and talk to her.. That way those two don't kill one another before world war III breaks out in this penthouse."

Kristina and Carolina nodded, Kristina adding some garlic to the soup, shrugging when Sam and Carolina looked at her with raised brows as she said "It can't hurt, okay? I mean we've tried everything else one could possibly put into a soup."

"But garlic, K?" Sam asked her sister as the door to the apartment was banged on, Molly called out, "Sam? Carlie? Is anyone here? If I don't get away from Mom for about.."

Kristina threw the door open and she and Carolina grabbed hold of Molly, getting her into Carolina's bedroom, shutting the door firmly as they looked at each other and then at a confused and still slightly angry Molly. "What?"

"We heard about that whole thing last night, Molly. What the hell were you thinking? You're 17." Kristina said to her sister, who said quietly, "I love TJ.. he loves me.. We both want this."

"You might both want it, Molly, and I certainly have no room to talk, hell, I had Coraline when I wasn't much older than you are now.. But wanting and being old enough to handle the consequences, are two very different things.. And your mom is your mom.. Even when TJ is gone, Molly, your mom is still gonna be a part of your life." Carolina said as Kristina added, "Please tell me you two didn't actually do anything last night."

"We were going to use protection, but no, K.. Thanks to our mother barging in with that Julian guy, nothing happened." Molly said as Carolina and Kristina looked at one another. Both girls got the feeling that maybe TJ was pressuring Molly into this, that maybe she only thought she wanted to get serious with him. Neither of them really knew if they liked TJ or not.

Out in the kitchen, Sam tasted the soup's broth base, smiled a little and called out "It was garlic, apparently."

Kristina smirked and Carolina poked out her tongue then called out "So it's ready?"

"Not just yet.. You two have Molly in there, right? Your grandmother is on her way here to talk to me." Sam called out as Molly got up to leave, Kristina and Carolina held her in her seat and shook their heads as they said calmly, "You two need to talk this thing out. In a calm way. Not yelling and screaming, storming out."

Molly sighed and said "Okay, alright.. I feel really, really bad that I did all that.. But I'm not sorry that I said she was uptight and she didn't want me to be happy. Sometimes, it feels like she doesn't.. Like she wants me to be this perfect child, and I just.. I want more than anything for once in my life to be a little bad.. And I think I love him.."

"This is the guy who cheated on her, right?" Carolina asked Kristina who nodded and said "The guy I'm not entirely crazy about because his guardian works for Sonny." while giving her little sister a look, then saying to her niece, "But yes.. He is the one who cheated on her, and he's lied to her several times. She refuses to listen to reason."

"Molly, if he's fucked around once, hon.. He's gonna do it again. He just ain't found the temptation yet. But when he does.. He'll do it again and it'll hurt. And going this far with a boy? Trust me.. You don't want to have to deal with motherhood, school and worrying about whether TJ is actually being faithful or not. We're only saying something now because we're concerned."

"So basically, you all agree with Mom?" Molly asked, a little angry, but deep down, seeing their point in all of it. She sighed as she said quietly, "I'm kind of glad we didn't go that far last night. I mean, I wanted to.. But I kind of didn't.." while looking at her hands, taking a few deep breaths and adding quickly, "He's just.. Since he went that far with the girl he cheated on me with, and I took him back, he just.. He seems to think that if I love him, I should be comfortable having sex with him. I'm actually not, but I don't want to lose him, either."

Sam spoke up from the doorway as she said quietly, "If you lost him, Molly, from the sound of things, you wouldn't be losing much. I mean Kristina and Carolina have a point.. At your age, you have more than enough to worry about with school and the other stuff you get into and you're involved in.. Do you really want to risk losing everything you're working for for a guy who from the sound of it is pressuring you into sex?"

Molly sighed and said quietly, "I don't want to tell her she's right."

"We're not saying you have to, we're just saying you two need to work through all this. You two are family, arguing and saying mean things isn't the way you deal with problems. Not saying any of us are perfect either, but you've been acting out a lot lately, Molly. And we're all worried. This? The way you're behaving isn't like you, not at all. And we're trying to stop you from throwing your life away or making a mistake you regret later."

"I'm not a baby." Molly said quietly, an even tone as she looked at her older niece and her older sisters, hand in her hair. Sam nodded and said quietly, "We know that, Molly. And nobody is trying to treat you like a baby.. But just because you're not a baby anymore, that doesn't really mean you're ready for sex with some guy who's hurt you on more than one occasion, either. If you want to do this, at least wait.. We're not saying TJ isn't the right guy.. We're just saying that maybe you need to make him earn something this serious. Maybe you need to tell him how you feel, talk to him about how he's sort of pressuring you. If he doesn't stick around, at least you'd know now, as opposed to knowing when it was too late."

She nodded and the door opened, Alexis called out "Sam? Carlie?"

"We're talking to Molly, Mom.. We invited both of you over.. Since neither of you will budge in this argument, and we're your family, we love you both, we thought we'd try settling it." Sam said as Alexis managed a smile, hugged her oldest daughter and then said quietly, " Are you 3 sure you want to sit through this? I mean it's gotten downright nasty the past few days."

"And I'm sorry, Mom, I really am.. It's just.. I'm sick of everyone treating me like they think I'm not old enough to know what I want. Like I'm going to be a baby in their eyes forever." Molly said quietly as she stood, walked towards her mother hesitantly.

"Come on.. We didn't spend all afternoon busting our asses in the kitchen to make this soup to have it waste. Let's eat first, then we'll talk about other stuff, and then we'll handle this." Sam said as Carolina nodded. Eyes turned to her when Alexis said casually, "I had an interesting conversation with Scott Baldwin earlier.. About someone going out with Logan?"

"Grams.. Like I told Mom.. He's a good guy.. But I.. The entire time I was with Logan, I kept feeling like I was doing something wrong, betraying my husband's memory. I'm just not ready, and I might not ever actually be ready." Carolina insisted, then adding, "I got another voicemail from Lenore."

"You saved this?" Alexis asked as she added "For what it's worth.. I really don't think your husband would want you damning yourself to a life alone and miserable, not if you feel anything for someone else.. Not saying it has to be Logan or you have to rush down the aisle, God knows we just got you back.. But I am saying that you can't just ignore some feelings either."

"Yet you can't accept me being ready to handle a phsyical relationship with TJ?" Molly asked quietly, Alexis sighing and saying "This is not the same thing, Molly. You're still growing.. You think you love TJ.. You think he loves you.. I thought those things before, with Sam's father and boy was I ever wrong."

"Mom, you two are at least on speaking terms now." Sam butted in then added firmly, "But I'm still on Mom's side on this, Molly. You're too young to let some guy pressure you. If he's pressuring you, then that's not a good enough reason."

"He's not.. I mean I don't think he is, or he means to." Molly said as she looked down, Alexis saying quietly, "We think he is.. But you're just so caught up in him that you can't see it."

"Anyway, can we all eat now? We can try and fix each other's problems when we're maybe not hungry?" Kristina asked as she stifled a small laugh, added "I'm just saying.. I haven't really gotten time to eat food all day. And that soup smells good.." as the group of women gathered in the dining room while Coraline and Danny slept their naps out down the hallway, talking and trying to help one another.


	9. Chapter 9

_(A/N: Logan won the poll, I just decided to go with him. There are so few Logan fics around now, everyone seems to like using Johnny or Dante and Spinelli. I missed Logan, so I'm going to be pairing him with my original character. It's a little angsty, a few fluffy moments, and their whole relationship, as I've got it plotted in my pretty lil head, will be intense and strong, passionate and definitely have ups and downs. This.. It's just the beginning. Damn it, I only wish they'd given Logan a love story like this.)_

* * *

><p><em>CHAPTER 09<em>

_Can't Get You Outta My Head  
><em>

He watched her sitting at the bar with Maxie and Lulu, laughing, taking a shot from a shot glass. Apparently, Maxie and Lulu weren't anywhere remotely close to finished meddling between them, and the smirk Maxie gave him as Coop elbowed her and nodded his way, waving him over was an indication of that fact. He grumbled to himself and then muttered "I knew I shoulda gotten myself outta this. I shoulda known it was a set up of some kind. Told 'em, all of 'em, I'm just not lookin. That I mess too much shit up." as he plastered on his best smirk, walked over, sat down with Coop and Dante, ordered himself a beer. Right away the new guy in town, a detective named Nate rubbed him the wrong way, coming on strong, trying to flirt with Carolina.

Carolina groaned inwardly as she said to her two friends, "Seriously, guys? I told you both I'm just.. I'm not ready to move on." to which Maxie responded, "Yet you talk about him nonstop, you're constantly almost running into people and things when you make a thousand bullshit excuses to walk past the fire house when he's on call." with Lulu insisting, "Come on.. At least make friends with him, I mean it can't hurt.."

"Guys, damn it, seriously." Carolina muttered as Logan made his way across the bar, her throat closing up a little as it usually did when she set eyes on him. He slid onto the stool next to her around the same time that Nathan West, a new cop on the force turned to her, asked her how her night was going so far. She eyed him a few moments, she just wasn't too sure about the guy, really, she'd met him on one or two occasions, something just didn't sit right with her about him. She looked at Logan a split second and before she knew it, Logan spoke up and said "Sorry I'm late, darlin. Had a fire just about 10 minutes ago." with Carolina thanking him with the look she gave him, saying quietly, "I'm just glad nobody's hurt and you made it." as she held his gaze. He smirked and mouthed "You... Owe me a dance." as he sipped his beer, while the other guy wasn't looking at them.

She bit her lower lip, slammed back another shot of alcohol then stood. If she left now, maybe she wouldn't accept the dance and wind up spending another sleepless night lying there, torn between guilt from what she sort of felt for Logan Baldwin, and curiousity, wondering if maybe she shouldn't eventually give the guy a chance.

Logan cheered out loud at a play made during the game playing over the bar and she booed loudly, drawing a curious look from him as he asked, "Better team's winnin."

She shrugged and quipped casually, "Depends on who you're askin, Logan." as she sipped a soda, watched the game on tv, laughing as he got mad when the ref called a penalty and one of the players got sent to the penalty box for 5 minutes. She looked at him as she slid a cherry into her mouth and quipped "Aww.. Looks like your team's shot at winning is going straight down the drain."

"Game's not over yet." Logan bantered back, leaning in to smirk at her and saying quietly, "So.. I figure that since you seem hell bent on believin that your crappy team's gonna win.. And you do owe me that dance for savin your ass.." flirting a little, even though he'd told himself a thousand times already he was not going to do that, he didn't want to fall for her and mess things up like he seemed to be so good at doing where his love life was concerned.

"You figure what? A bet?" Carolina asked as Maxie nudged Lulu who snickered and then leaned in, whispered "Those two are totally flirting now."

"Oh my god yes.. Somebody get them a room or a hose." Maxie said as Coop snickered and Dante asked "You two aren't gonna be happy until you have a wedding to plan are you?"with Lulu and Maxie exchanging looks, Maxie grinning as she said casually, "We hadn't thought that far ahead, but what do you think, Lulu?"

"I think it's a possibility. I mean our girl says she's not ready.. But all the signs are there."

"And Logan claims to be a grade A screw up.. He's made mistakes yes.. But have you seen him with Carolina's daughter and her brother Danny?" Maxie said as the two of them mused about this thoughtfully. The hockey game playing on the set above the bar ended and Logan turned to Carolina, smirking as he asked "It's just one dance."

"It is." Carolina said as she let him pull her off the stool, lead her out onto the floor. He pulled her close and the music started to play as someone, probably being a wise ass, started the jukebox, Coop calling out "Just setting the mood. Don't step on her feet."

"Fuck you man." Logan called out as he looked at Carolina and muttered quietly, "We have got to stop meeting like this." as his hands rested on the small of her back, he looked into her eyes. He knew that if her dad caught on, he'd probably have at least 9 of Corinthos' guards breathing down his neck, it was known the town over just how protective Jason Morgan was as a father.. But right now, he didn't care, he was just sort of caught up in the moment. And apparently, he wasn't the only one, because neither of them realized the song was over until throats cleared and they sprang apart.


	10. Chapter 10

_(A/N: Logan won the poll, I just decided to go with him. There are so few Logan fics around now, everyone seems to like using Johnny or Dante and Spinelli. I missed Logan, so I'm going to be pairing him with my original character. It's a little angsty, a few fluffy moments, and their whole relationship, as I've got it plotted in my pretty lil head, will be intense and strong, passionate and definitely have ups and downs. This.. It's just the beginning. Damn it, I only wish they'd given Logan a love story like this.)_

* * *

><p><em>CHAPTER 10<em>

_We've Got To Stop Meeting Like This,Darlin  
><em>

"Look. Your name's Nathan.. Right?" Carolina told the new cop as she whirled around, her hand in her thick dark hair, staring at him intently as she said slowly, almost carefully, "I've told ya.. I'm just not lookin to date. So no matter if it's today or tomorrow, or hell, even 3 weeks from now, sir, I'm not gonna change my mind. I've got a little girl to think about and she doesn't need me bringin all sorts of men home, making her think that's how a woman behaves. If you'll excuse me, I've got a client."

The male laughed, said quietly "Oh come on. It's just dinner. You went to dinner with that Baldwin guy, what's he got that makes him different?" while eyeing her. He knew she liked the other son of Scott Baldwin, but apparently? She had no clue just how much she liked the guy. And until she did, the field was open. Personally, he hated seeing a girl like her just settle for some prick, but every time he even attempted to ask her out, she wouldn't budge. So naturally, when he'd found out via the small town grapevine that she'd actually not only let Baldwin take her out, but her daughter had actually met the guy, he was determined.

"What makes him different, Detective West, is he's not over here shovin himself down my throat, now is he? And we're friends. We're both workin through stuff. You're just determined to win me over, like I'm some sort of prize and it's not only not flattering, it's kinda annoying, if you want the honest God's truth on it. Look, wherever you're from that might be okay, but me? I'd really rather get to know a guy on my own time, not be forced into it by the guy." Carolina said as Molly and Kristina shot each other smirks, high fived covertly, Molly calling out, "It's called being a gentleman. You're just being pushy."

"He really is." Kristina butted in as she looked at him and then said calmly, "And if I were you, I'd back off. Or you're going to make my niece dislike you to the point where she actually doesn't bother trying to be nice. And she's got the same temper as her mom. And us." as Molly said quietly, " I actually just broke up with a guy for trying to force me into something I wasn't ready for. If she's not ready, Nathan, she's not ready, that's the end of it."

The door to the salon opened and Logan called out from the doorway, "Anybody hungry? And don't give me that no time crap, you've got time for food." while shooting Detective West a cocky smirk as he said "And here you are again.. Didn't my friend tell ya she's not interested one time already? Showin up isn't gonna change anything. And it makes you look desperate."

"Says the man who is the son of the most crooked politician on the eastern seaboard, and the brother of a deranged psycho who's been reformed via a 'miraculous surgery' to his brain.. Tell me something Logan.. How does it feel to know you're just another fuck up in a family full of them?" Nathan asked as Logan squared his shoulders then laughed, rolling his eyes, leaned in and said quietly, "At least I'm not hidin my true nature." as he pretended interest in Nathan's badge, said quietly, "Nothin I do is a secret, West. You wanna come at me? At least make sure you don't have a ton of skeletons in your own dam closet first." before letting Nathan go.

The detective glared at him and said calmly, "I'm gonna add assaulting an officer to your long list of offenses down at the station."

Logan waved him off and said through a mouth full of fries, wearing that trademark lopsided and very cocky smirk, "Go ahead.. It won't be the first time, actually."

Carolina cleared her throat from behind him and then said "You should probably just go. Nobody's really in the mood for it, Detective. I'll take your warnings about Logan into consideration.. Just do me a favor, hon?"

He looked at her and then asked with a smile, "What's that?"

"Stay the hell outta my personal life." Carolina said calmly, as she smiled sweetly, the gesture a mocking one, waving Detective West out the door, her arms crossed, a scowl on her face as if she couldn't figure out why he couldn't just take a hint, leave her alone.

"You okay?" Logan asked in concern as she laughed, shrugged and took the food from his hands, said calmly, "If assholes could fly." making Logan laugh and finish aloud, "This town would be an airport.. Speaking of assholes.. The other asshole my old man fathered is apparently having a gallery thing."

"So you spoke to him, huh?"

"For ten minutes when I told him not to expect Scott Baldwin to be warm and fatherly. Figured I better warn the poor guy what he was in for as far as fathers went." Logan said as he shoveled fries into his mouth, prompting Carolina to grimace and say through a mouth full of food, "Seriously? Are you not afraid of choking?"

"Little bit, but hey, shit happens."

"You're the EMT though.. Who'd save your ass?"

"Well, you do owe me..." Logan ventured, laughing as he ducked the swat at his arm from her, then asking, "So.. Other than West being your average prick with a badge.. How's it goin?"

"That stupid lawyer my ex mother in law hired was snooping around earlier.. I think he's a PI too." she said as she ate her food, Kristina and Molly watching the two 'so called friends' with interested looks which caused Carolina to ask them "Okay, what's up you two?"

"Nothing." Kristina and Molly chorused, Kristina saying with a smirk, "Talk to you about it later." when Logan wasn't looking, going back to eating her own salad, watching the two intently, sort of laughing to herself.

She looked at Logan and then asked with a wan smile, "So.. You know how my day's been.. How's your day been?"

"Some woman's cat got stuck in a tree, there was a grease fire at that little diner down by the docks and ... That's pretty much it.. Oh, that's not countin my dad being nosy as usual, and Franco's inviting me to some artsy thing. Still can't believe that guy is actually flesh and blood." Logan said as he shivered a moment, grimacing a little. In truth? He felt bad for Franco.. He'd found out the hard way just how long it took to get 'acceptance' from their father, Scott. And he'd pretty much given up on that in the past few years, but they did have an okay relationship now, his dad had actually tried to help him after the mess he got himself into with Lulu a few years ago by sending him back to Texas to get his head back on straight.

It went without saying, it'd taken a lot of ass kissing to get in at least partially decent with his father and he'd warned Franco up front what he was in for. As far as he went personally, he wasn't running with open arms to his brother, he knew that if Franco killed before, he could be 'playing straight' and he just might kill again.

But he was at least giving the guy the shot his father really hadn't given him to start off with. He took a few bites of food and then said aloud, "But it's better now." as he looked at her, smiled and then asked "Did you tell your mama about that guy?"

"Mhmm.. She wasn't happy, either. She's looking into him. If he's a dirty type PI, my grandmother is hoping that's where my former mother in law will make her mistake and we can use it against her. The woman's gotta have some hidden thing, right?"

"Everybody does. I mean even I got secrets, Carlie." Logan said quietly as he looked at her and then said "Not bad ones.. Just things I don't really tell a whole lot of people."

She nodded and said quietly, "Same here.. I mean it's not like they're horrible, but still.. I just see no reason in talking about everything that's ever happened to me." while studying him intently, saying quietly, "Just now.. Thanks for that. You could've been a macho guy about it and you weren't. You handled it with class and you didn't resort to lying."

"Doesn't mean I'm a good guy. I just get annoyed by him honestly. Coop's always saying the guy's only here for one reason and there's something funny about him. I tend to agree. Hated seeing him bug ya like that. It's a free country." Logan admitted as he said with a smirk, "Besides, I kinda like pissin the guy off." shrugging nonchalantly.

Kristina and Molly watched the whole conversation with interested and curious expressions, noting the heavy tension in the room. Molly stood and said casually, "I'm gonna go.. I owe Rafe a huge apology. Maybe I can save the friendship I nearly destroyed at least." as she sighed and grabbed her books and bookbag, walked out the door. A few seconds later, Kristina said teasingly, "We're having a talk tonight, niece. For now, I'll settle with stealing my little buddy Coraline.. They're having this sale at a store down the block from here, they have the cutest tutus."

Carolina groaned and then said with a smile, " Don't get her too much stuff.. She's gonna be spoiled between you, her grandmothers, Molly and Mom and we cannot forget Aunt Carly." as Kristina said with a slightly less than innocent grin, "You hush. I'm her aunt, it's my right to spoil her."

"No candy, K."

"No promises, C." Kristina said as she winked at her niece, skipped out of the salon. The door shut, leaving Logan and Carolina there together alone. Logan said aloud, "So.. This artsy thing.. I'm not comfortable at this suit and tie shit.. And if I gotta wear a damn tie... I'm thinkin you need to be uncomfortable tonight too..."

She studied him a moment, almost saying no, but he said with a smirk, "You owe me.. And I fed you. And it's nothin serious, just two friends walking around in a room full of people with too damn much money, dressed up, makin fun of the shit hangin on the walls." as she asked "Why are you going?"

"Mostly to satisfy my curiousity about this damn Franco guy. I mean he is my brother, he does share my genes.. Just curiousity." Logan said as he smirked and added, "And, I thought it'd be fun."

"You mean, you wanna go, you just don't wanna go alone." Carolina argued as she smirked dodged the playful tap he sent at her arm and then added, "And you thought if you bought me food and came in here and asked.."

"Well, I thought you'd say yes.." Logan joked as she sighed, struggling with her conflicting emotions where he was concerned. She looked up at him and asked aloud, "As friends, right?"

"Promise." Logan affirmed as he said quietly, "I've told ya already, I'm not really lookin either."

"Okay, alright, fine.. I'll ask Kristina if she minds just keeping Coraline." Carolina said as he smiled, blinking a little in shock. His stomach fluttered a little and he said with a cocky smirk, "I'll pick ya up at 8." before disappearing out the door, leaving Carolina to groan and palm her forehead and mutter "Now what the hell am I gonna wear?" as she bit her lower lip and added with a small smile, "That cocky bastard tricked me into agreeing.. But we're just friends.. Right?"


	11. Chapter 11

_(A/N: Logan won the poll, I just decided to go with him. There are so few Logan fics around now, everyone seems to like using Johnny or Dante and Spinelli. I missed Logan, so I'm going to be pairing him with my original character. It's a little angsty, a few fluffy moments, and their whole relationship, as I've got it plotted in my pretty lil head, will be intense and strong, passionate and definitely have ups and downs. This.. It's just the beginning. Damn it, I only wish they'd given Logan a love story like this.)_

* * *

><p><em>CHAPTER 11<em>

_It's Not A Date.. Is It?  
><em>

"This looks okay?" Carolina asked for what had to be the 3rd time in as many minutes as she turned around in the red strapless dress and stiletto heels, looking at herself in the full length mirror that hung on her closet and then at her aunt Kristina who said with a smirk, "Just wear it, good god almighty." while holding Coraline, laughing and shaking her head at Carolina's distress.

"What's funny?" Carolina demanded, pouting as she looked at the dress again, scowled a little. She loved dressing up, but this was kinda short notice and she wasn't sure exactly how Logan tricked her into going with him tonight, but he had, and she was a firm believer in keeping promises made, so she wasn't going to back out of this.

"Just thinking.. If this isn't a date, Carolina, why bother worrying so much about what you're wearing?" Kristina asked as Molly burst into laughter and Rafe nodded in silent agreement, even Sam commented, "Well, they are right.. I mean if you two are just going as friends.." before getting a dirty look from Carolina who mumbled "Because, damn it."

"The dress is fine. But maybe you should change." Jason spoke up from the doorway, adding "I'd hate to have to break this guy's neck."

"No, daddy, you wouldn't. But we're just friends, everyone. I'm telling you all, I'm not ready. And he's said he's not good with relationships. We're just friends and that's all that will ever happen." Carolina said as Jason ruffled her hair, earning a glare from her as she squeaked "Daaad.. I just fixed this!" to which he responded, "See? Hair's messed up.. Can't go out now." smirking playfully as he took Coraline, said with a smile, "And what's the little fairy queen doing tonight?" with Coraline kissing his cheek and giggling as she said "You needa shave, grampa."

"Yeah, but see, I'm too lazy." Jason answered, looking at the tutus Kristina bought for Coraline earlier before asking her, "Now how are you gonna ride what Grandpa got you in those?"

"Dad, what'd you do?"

"Nothing, I swear." Jason waved his hands as he stepped out of the doorway, revealed a pink Power Wheels motorcycle similar to a smaller pedal operated black one that Jason had gotten for Danny a month ago, smirking as he did so. "Not a thing."

"IT PINK!"

"Yes it is.. It is the only pink one you will find around here." Jason stated as Sam smiled, rose to her tiptoes and kissed him, muttered "I love seeing you with them." making him smile as he said casually, "Just be sure Baldwin knows.. If he touches her and I find out about it, he's dead." before walking with Coraline down to the living room so they could play with Danny on the two mini motorcycles.

The doorbell rang and Sam went to open it, Coraline zipping past on her mini motorcycle making Logan laugh and call out, "You might wanna slow down a little bit Speedy." before asking Sam, "Well... Let me guess.. She's backing out?"

"Actually, Logan, I'm right here." Carolina said as she stepped out into the hallway, dressed, smirking. Logan gaped at her a moment and then smiled as he said casually, "Figured you'd back out."

"Not this time, not even if I have to shove her out the door." Kristina quipped as she shoved her niece at Logan then said with a casual wink, "Try not to have too much fun tonight, Carlie.. You might go into shock."

Sam gave her sister a look and then laughing said "No, seriously. We've got Corky, you two just go. Get her out of here." as Carolina said "Thanks Mom" giving her mom a look as she walked out into the hallway with Logan. He smiled and said "So.. Ready to go?" his stomach getting a nervous knot as he took her arm, lead her to the elevator, where they happened to bump into Lucy and Scott, both apparently dressed for the art show as well.

"You're gonna go?" Logan asked as he stiffened his shoulders a little. Scott shrugged and said "Might as well. Came to your graduation when you got certified to become an EMT, didn't I?"

"Yeah.." Logan said as he spoke up, "Have you met Carolina?" and nodded his head at Carolina who gave a slight smile, nodded at the older man and said "I've met him a few times." as Scott nodded and said "Alexis's granddaughter, right?"

"Mhmm.. I think you and my grandmother were arguing over that thing with AJ?" she asked, an amused smirk as Scott gave her a look and then said "He shouldn't have gotten off."

"My grandmother made a good point though.. He couldn't have done it. Not with the time frame." Carolina said as Scott smiled and looked from Logan to Carolina, laughing as he said "At least you're getting back out there, huh? I mean after that whole mess with Lulu." which made Logan stiffen and scowl at his father before saying, "And we can get the next elevator, huh?" in Carolina's ear. She blushed as his warm minty breath caressed the back of her neck and then turned to give him a nod.

Down in the garage, she tossed him the keys to her car and then said with a smirk "Try not to granny shift, huh?"

"Me? Granny shift, darlin? Right." Logan said as he opened her door, let her in and then went around to get into the drivers seat, smirking as he took off, spinning out, making her glare across the car at him as she said "Seriously?"

"What? I did nothing." Logan chuckled as he said "So.. Looks like we're off to go to a room full of stuck up people, look at paintings of naked people.. Knowing the artist, they're probably all weird." while pretending to grimace. Carolina said quietly, "At least you're giving him a chance though. He should be happy about that."

Logan nodded and then said quietly, "Just wish my dad had given me the same benefit." as he looked at her then added quietly, "But hey, I had done a lot of bad things then. And I still screw up more than I get things right." managing a shrug as if it didn't bother him. It did, of course, but he was too stubborn to let it show, too proud to want to talk about it and maybe find some comfort in everything. She sighed and said quietly, "You're not as bad as you keep painting yourself to be."

"You don't really know me either, darlin." Logan said as he coughed thinking it'd cover the term of endearment that'd slipped out just now before he could actually do anything to stop himself from saying it. The fact remained, the brunette in the shotgun seat of this car currently had him, she just didn't know it, and he wasn't about to try and dive headfirst into something else, especially not with everything they both had going against them combined.

Maybe if he were braver, more bold like he used to be. Maybe if he thought she might actually fall for him, want to be with him. If he thought even slightly that she might be ready to move on, done grieving for the man she lost he might try.

_'And you'd only fuck it up, Logan.' _his mind immediately chimed in as he looked at her while she wasn't looking. He couldn't deny something was going on between them, but what exactly it was still remained to be seen. "So.. Did your day get any better after I left?" he asked, mostly to make idle conversation as he pulled the small and compact car into a parking space in front of the art gallery his brother owned.

"Sadly, no. And your visit was the highlight of the day, I'll have you know." Carolina admitted as he got out, came around and held out his hand to help her out of the car. She looked at the other people filtering in and out of the gallery, then at him and promptly burst into laughter. "We might be just a little overdressed." she pointed out as a man walked past in a blazer and jeans, wearing Converse.

Franco spoke up from behind them and said with a smirk, "I told you, moron. It's not formal." as he stepped out, an outfit similar to the man who'd just walked past seconds before, looking from Carolina to Logan. "I'm glad you made it. Surprised, actually. I expected no one from my family to actually show up." he spoke solemnly, biting his thumb in thought.

Logan gave him a stiff nod and said "I warn you.. The old man's gonna show too. Just don't expect him to actually be a decent guy. Trust me." as Franco nodded and said "Yeah, I'm kind of getting that." before walking off to his own date, Carly, who waved at Carolina, gave her a raised brow when she saw that Carolina had come with Logan.

Logan, of course, wasn't one of her very favorite people, thanks to the Metro Court hostage crisis he'd been involved in when he first came here, looking for his father to show him he'd grown up fine without a father figure in his life.

"Uh oh.. And she's walkin over here." Carolina muttered as Carly walked over, hugging her 'god daughter' then asking, "Did you come with him?"

"Mhmm. And before you start in on me like my aunts and my mom.. This is just two friends." Carolina whispered back as she smiled at the woman and asked, "And you came with Franco?" making Carly smile as she nodded and said "I did owe him this.. Not too long ago, he saved my life."

"He's not an entirely bad guy I think.. I mean he and Dad are never gonna get along, but he's not a bad person now." Carolina replied diplomatically before adding, "Then again, I barely know the guy." as she shrugged and then said "We should all probably get indoors. Logan's already kinda had words with his father."

"Not about you I hope?" Carly asked as Carolina laughed and blurted out, "If it'd been about me, I think I could've told him a thing or two." before she and Logan walked away, blending in with the crowd indoors, looking around at the paintings. Logan wrinkled his nose when a server offered him a small triangle shaped sandwich.

"The hell is this?" he asked Carolina, making her laugh as she said "Its called finger food."

"It's called tryin to starve somebody, damn." Logan muttered as he looked at one of his brother's newest paintings with a raised brow. It was darker, deep reds and blacks and grays everywhere. "I'd hate kickin around in his mind." Logan muttered as Carolina nodded, shivering just a little as she added, "Maybe this is his darker side now."

"He starts carvin people up again, Carolina, I'll end him." Logan said as he slid his arm around her, pulled her a little closer. He wasn't sure why, but the way some of the men here tonight were eyeing his date were making feelings of jealousy he hadn't actually felt in a long time to surface. He didn't want anyone else looking at her, he didn't want her to realize he was a bum and walk out on him too. But he knew that if he kept letting her get to him like she was, that was what was going to happen, like it or not.

Which is why he wasn't pushing for anything more than friendship.

"No, you'll let the police handle him." Carolina corrected, surprising herself as she felt a moments panic at something happening to the man standing beside her with his arm around her and that damn cocky grin on his face. She hated admitting it but she was falling for him and it was hard, fast and very scary. And she was trying like hell to stop it. She didn't want to lose someone again.

They wandered around a little bit longer and then Logan's stomach growling prompted him to grab her hand and run out of the gallery, practically dragging her behind him as she asked "Where the hell are we going?"

"To find real food." Logan said as he unlocked the car and helped her into her seat, shut her door, got into the driver door and turned to her to finish saying, "Because that shit in there ain't enough to piss someone off." as he took off.

"Where though?"

"There's this place.. It's got the best hot wings I've ever tasted." Logan said as he drove them towards the Port Charles exit sign, smiling at her, adding "Unless of course you wanna keep eating chick food." making her scowl at him then say with a smirk, "Barbecue sounds great. I've missed that about Texas the most, actually."

"Good.. Because here we are." he said as he pulled into a gravel parking lot of a small diner, leading her inside when she'd gotten out. About 20 minutes later, they sat at a table on a deck behind the building, candle light glowing softly as they talked and laughed and ate messy dripping pulled pork sandwiches and ribs. He looked at her once and leaned in, wiped at her cheek. "You had barbecue sauce."

"Ahh." she said as she leaned in a little, dabbed at his lip and then licked her finger, said quietly, "You had sauce too." before giving in to temptation and leaning all the way in, kissing him. Logan tried not to, but he wound up caving in and kissing back, his hand resting in her hair on the back of her neck, as he groaned and tried to catch his breath.

The kiss broke and they just stared at one another, wondering if they'd both just messed up things in a major way... Or made them better..


	12. Chapter 12

_(A/N: Logan won the poll, I just decided to go with him. There are so few Logan fics around now, everyone seems to like using Johnny or Dante and Spinelli. I missed Logan, so I'm going to be pairing him with my original character. It's a little angsty, a few fluffy moments, and their whole relationship, as I've got it plotted in my pretty lil head, will be intense and strong, passionate and definitely have ups and downs. This.. It's just the beginning. Damn it, I only wish they'd given Logan a love story like this.)_

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><p><em>CHAPTER 12<em>

_There When I Need Him (And Them)  
><em>

"Wait, what the hell does she mean she gets a unsupervised visit?" Carolina asked as the pudgy and stern faced lawyer her former mother in law hired to try and pursue this ongoing custody battle explained quietly, "She is the child's grandmother. And she feels she's entitled to at least one unsupervised visit. This is her son's only child, Ms. Morgan."

"And? That ain't my problem. I don't trust that bitch with a houseplant, she's not getting within a foot of my kid." Carolina said quietly, her arms crossed, a defiant smirk on her face as she stared down the slightly shorter lawyer. From behind her, Sam spoke up and asked stiffly, "Do you people ever get tired of harassing my daughter? She's doing nothing wrong, and she's taking damn good care of her child. And from what I've heard about this woman? I wouldn't trust a houseplant with her either, in all honestly. I will be talking to my daughter's lawyer. This cannot be legal. And it will be fought."

"The only way my granddaughter is going anywhere near that woman, sir, is over my dead body." Jason spoke up calmly from behind Sam as he gave his daughter a concerned look, whispered quietly, "Calm down, Carlie. They're not gonna get away with this."

"I know, Daddy, because as soon as I have the money, I'm gonna fly back there and kick that woman's ass." Carolina whispered back as Jason shook his head no, then took the papers from the lawyer, waving him out the door. "She's not signing these damn things." he said as he slammed the front door to their apartment shut, then held them out to Sam, who took them and said calmly, "Going to call your grandmother right now. We might have to use Diane with her assistance on this one, the court will overturn anything she does, because she's your grandmother, it'd be a conflict of interest. But Diane's just as good, and she's been griping about having to defend Sonny and Franco more than the normal lately."

"But how much, mom?" Carolina asked with a concerned look as she bit her lower lip, being silenced by her father Jason who spoke up and said quietly, "It's not gonna matter. We're going to pay it."

The doorbell rang again and Logan called out from the other side of it, "That guy was here again?"

"What the hell is he doing here?" Jason muttered as Sam nudged him and Carolina stared at the door with a raised brow, echoing her father's previous thought before finally opening it.

"Baldwin."

"Hey to you too. I was just lookin at an apartment on the floor below.. Thought I'd stop by.." Logan said quietly as the little girl, Coraline grabbed hold of him and demanded "Uppy." which made him laugh and bend to pick her up. Carolina eyed him and asked "Thought you'd stop by and what?" while biting her lower lip. It wasn't really a secret that they'd been sort of avoiding each other more or less since their kiss on their second 'not a date'. Neither one of them really knew what to do about the kiss, or what to say to each other.

They'd both been trying their best NOT to get attached, after all.

But, he'd ran into his brother, Franco, earlier in the day, and the guy kept insisting that maybe his gravitating towards Carolina wasn't a bad thing. Which if you asked Logan was rich considering Franco's luck with the ladies, but he'd gotten to thinking about it at lunch and decided that maybe trying a little couldn't hurt. If she shot him down, he couldn't say he hadn't at least halfway tried to move on and work through his issues.

And it would get Coop and Maxie, Spinelli and Georgie, Lulu and Dante off of his ass about dating for a while.

And it had felt right when he'd kissed her that night. More right than any time he'd actually kissed Lulu. Just being around Carolina and her little girl was almost as natural as breathing, actually, if he had to stop and think about it. In the few weeks he'd known her, they'd gotten pretty close as friends. And even though he knew he shouldn't, he couldn't help but want more than friendship.

He shifted Coraline from one side of his arms to the other and then said "So.. What'd that guy want?"

"Oh, he was only informin me that my bitch of a former mother in law," Carolina said as she held Coraline's ears shut so she couldn't hear the obscenities Mommy was mad enough to scream right now, "thinks she's got rights to an unsupervised weekend visit with my daughter. Unsupervised my ass.. I'm not stupid, I know what she's up to. She wants to get my daughter and run."

Logan bit his thumb in thought, looked at Carolina and said "Did you talk to your mom about all this? I mean she can't just do that, can she, Sam?"

Sam shook her head, just watching the two of them together, the way they seemed to always migrate just a little closer, finish each other's sentences and things like that. It was almost like watching herself with Jason at their age. "She can't, but apparently with great money comes sheer stupidity. She's just faxed the copy of the whole 'notification' that stupid lawyer she's went and gotten herself had the nerve to forge and send over." Sam said as Carolina nodded and said "On that note.. I'll be right back.. Can you keep an eye on her, Logan?"

Jason reached for Coraline but she giggled and looked up at Logan, said quietly, "I stay. He okay." Jason gave Logan a raised brow then said "If you want me, I'm in the next room, Sam. I'm still waiting on that call to confirm the parts shipment at the shop." Sam nodded and said back quietly in his ear, "He's not that bad a guy.. I mean he's not a saint, but he's good to her."

"I just don't like the guy. I didn't when they used to play together on the playground as kids. do you think either of them actually remember that?" Jason asked as Sam shrugged and said quietly, "I'm just glad we have our daughter back now. Things are starting to be okay again and she seems okay for the most part." Jason nodding as he added, "I still wish I could get my damn hands on Heather and get away with it." as Sam sighed and said quietly, "She's done now. She's locked away so that nobody's hurt by her anymore. I don't want you going to prison on me. I've almost lost you too many times."

Logan sat in the den with Coraline who said quietly, "My mama scared." as she colored in a coloring book. Logan nodded and said quietly, "I can kinda tell.. What's she scared of?"

"She like you too much. That what she tell aunt Molly. That she love you and that she mess it up or she hurtin my daddy." Coraline admitted as she put down her crayon and crawled into Logan's lap, looking up at him. "I think he want her happy.. And if you makes her happy.." Coraline started shyly, struggling over some of the words that the older women in the house used when she'd been pretending to nap but were really eavesdropping on them and what they were talking about, as she finished, "And then my daddy's mama wanna take me from Mama, so I scared too."

"You don't like her either, huh?" Logan asked as he looked at the little girl then waited on her to answer. Coraline shook her head and then said quietly, "She hate me. She only wanna take me so my mama won't have me."

"That's stupid." Logan blurted as Coraline nodded, said quietly, "I knows." while snuggling against him. She looked up a moment then said quietly, "I hope my mama and my grandma can stops me from havin to see her." as Logan nodded and said quietly, " They will, I think. If not, I'll talk to my friend about it. He's a cop, maybe he can do somethin."

Coraline nodded and said with a small smile, "Mhmm.. He talk to my daycare class about not talkin to stranger. When you came to talk to us, I had fun." as she giggled when Carolina walked in and said with a grin, "So.. I leave the room she opens up, starts talkin." while tickling her daughter, picking her up. Logan cleared his throat and said "That apartment on the floor below.. Look, I'm a guy.. I'm not gonna know what I'm lookin for.. Think you can look at it with me, tell me if it's a good idea to get it or not?" looking at her, studying her intently.

It was time they cleared the air about that kiss, after all.

Carolina smiled a little as she thought about her daughter's little 'conversation' with Logan. If Coraline liked him and could sense how she felt, and was okay with her maybe getting a little closer to Logan, maybe it wasn't a bad idea. She was still wary, but she was sort of starting to realize that maybe everyone telling her living in the past, living in grief constantly wasn't good for her or her daughter was right. And it'd get her friends Maxie, Georgie and Lulu, not to mention her aunts off of her back about dating, at least a little.

If it didn't work out, she couldn't say she didn't try, right?

And they did need to talk about the kiss...

She smiled and said quietly, "Yeah. You don't mind me running to my grandma's office really quick do you?" she looked at him as she asked him this question. He shrugged and then said "You okay with me going?"

"We're friends, it shouldn't matter." she said as he nodded and smiled then said "I think you and me both know there's somethin we really, really gotta talk about." quietly. She nodded and then said "I'm gonna bring Coraline with me.. That's okay, right?" her voice wavering a little, nervously. He chuckled and said with a smile, "Don't see what it'll hurt." as the little girl clapped and jumped up and down, then ran down the hallway calling out, "I going byebye. Gonna get my shoes."

"So.. That kiss.." Logan said quietly as Carolina laughed a little, shaking her head before she stood on tiptoe, pulled him into a kiss and said quietly, "Wasn't some sort of accident, and there was no reason I shoulda avoided you. I want to try.. I'm just.. It's scary."

He nodded and kissed back, said quietly, "I know. I get it. I wanna try too, just.. I'm worried I'm gonna make a huge mess of this somehow..."

Giggling from the door had them both looking at each other, then at the doorway where Coraline stood, leaned in it, little arms crossed, laughing. "Adults so silly."

"We are, huh?" Logan asked as he picked up the little girl, gently tossing her, but not too far up. He didn't want her getting sick all over him or anything, and he wasn't really sure how good he'd be in dealing with a woman who already had a kid.. But at least now he knew trying might not be such a bad idea, and that this time, the girl in question seemed to like him as much as he liked her. It wasn't one sided.

It was real, and it was sort of scary. That first big leap. Now to see what happened as a result.

They walked out into the hallway, and he lead them down to the apartment, Coraline ran around nosily peeking into cabinets, rooms, shutting and opening doors while Logan pointed out things and Carolina argued "If you're single, Logan, why in the name of God do you need more than one bedroom?" her eyes fixed on him. He shrugged and shook his head, said with a slight smirk, "What if you wanna stay somewhere.. I mean I know you love Maxie and Georgie, Lulu, but I also know they get on your nerves."

"Yeah, but.. I mean we're just sorting things out." Carolina countered as he nodded and said "Whoa.. wasn't askin you to move in yet, darlin.. Just thinking what if you needed a place to stay?" in a calm and amused tone, smiling at her. She nodded and said "It's actually a nice place."

"It is." Logan said as Coraline butted in, giggling, "We paint a room pink."

"Maybe we will." Logan said as he laughed, picked her up. She giggled and then said "It has to be HOT PINK.. Like the brightest one ever." as Carolina groaned and said "Not too bright, baby girl.. Mama gets migraines."

"So? You shut off lights." Coraline said as Logan chuckled, watched them doing a mother daughter staredown which ended when Carolina pointed out, "If I were you and I wanted this place, I'd make an offer now. The realtor's here every other day showing it." with Logan nodding in agreement, saying quietly, "I just might do that. Now.. I believe I promised to come with you two to Alexis' office.."

"Yeah.. I'm dreading this.. I'm half afraid that there's nothing I can do to keep that woman I call a mother in law from getting her way. I swear to God, I'm gonna be absolutely gray when this is finally done." Carolina said as Logan lead them out and then down the sidewalk to the small office space Carolina's grandmother, Diane Warren and occasionally his father all occupied.

To his shock, his father was in his office. Logan gave a nod and Scott stopped them, asked "Anything you need?" giving Logan a look that clearly read "You better not be in trouble again."

"Actually, if my grandmother's in I really need to talk to her. It's dealin with something she's been kind of helping me with?" Carolina asked as Scott surprised her by saying, "It's the case your former mother in law's trying to build to take away your daughter, right?"

"Yeah, I.."

"Logan told me a little about the lawyer that's always hanging around.. She's in her office right now, but I think she's got that damn Jerome guy in there." Scott said, making no bones about how he too felt about Julian Jerome. Carolina nodded and said quietly, "Great.. So my 'grandfather' is in her office."

"If you wait, she'll be done soon. Sounded like she was really giving him a good talking to moments ago." Scott said as Logan spoke up and said "Is there anything she can do to stop her ex mother in law from making demands like the one she just did?" in concern. Scott studied his son and then asked quietly, "Depends on what she's trying to demand and what she thinks she's got on Carolina here. You'd have to ask Alexis.. Family law's not really my branch, son." giving his son a slight smile as he walked away.

"He grumpy." Coraline said, making Logan burst into laughter as he nodded in agreement and said "Not all the time, jellybean. Just most of it." as they found chairs to sit on, wait on. The wait gave Carolina time to actually make up her mind. She was going to try and let Logan get closer, if it killed her. She had to at least try and take a chance on him.


	13. Chapter 13

_(A/N: Hope you guys are still reading this. I'm trying to bring a lot more back to the show that I miss seeing, like Davis family, JaSam, and of course Logan in a semi redeemed role. That being said, it's been fun working on this particular story, I just hope it's actually worth a crap to read for you all. I wanna thank all my 7 reviews, you guys have kept me going this far, and my 11 followers, the 4 who favorited this story. I cannot express how much the reviews and the alerts added mean to me.)  
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><p><em>CHAPTER 13<em>

_Family Discussions  
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Alexis called Molly's name all over the house. She must have yelled for her youngest child until her throat hurt. Molly and she had been fighting a lot lately, and she'd hoped that when Molly finally got done with TJ, who she felt was manipulating her, and started seeing Rafe, that things would get better. And for a little while there, they had.. Until Ric, her former husband and Molly's father had shown up.

"Have you seen her?" Alexis asked Julian who stood in the doorway of the living room of her lake house. He shook his head and said calmly, "Maybe she went out on the patio to cool off and think. You two were really going at one another. For the record, Alexis, I don't blame you for not allowing her to go and live with Ric. He is Sonny's brother, after all." the distaste he felt for Corinthos evident in his tone. Alexis looked at him for a moment, almost made a rebuttal argument for the pot calling the kettle black, but Julian, she was realizing, had been there for her a lot lately. He'd taken it upon himself to sort of place himself in not only her life, but the life of the daughter they'd had together, Sam, and the lives of the rest of her family. Family was important to her which was why this argument with Molly was weighing so heavily on her mind and heart right now.

She slid the patio door open and Molly wasn't there. Her heart was racing and she was about to grab her jacket when the cellular phone in her hand rang and Sam said quietly, "Molly just came by, Mom. She left with Kristina, Kristina thought taking her for a ride then taking her back to your house might give you both time to cool off.. What's going on?"

"Your little sister wants to move in with her father. Legally, I can't stop her, but given what I've just found out about why Ric came back into her life after not bothering to care for nearly half of it, it can't be good. If she wants to go, I really can't stop her. But I don't want her to go. I hate the thought of her moving all the way out to California just to get away from me and the so called 'strict rules' she claims I've been giving her lately." Alexis admitted quietly as Sam said "So you talk to her. Tell her how you feel and why. Don't talk at her mom, talk to her.. 90 percent of the times we've all fought, it's been because you occasionally talk at us and not to us. We're not good at dealing with that, we all learned it from you."

"Gee, thanks." Alexis said quietly as Sam sighed and then said casually, "If it helps.. I think she'd be better off staying with you. I mean I know all Ric wants is to punish you, hurt you somehow by taking her, enticing her to live with you. He's not a good guy, he never has been." as she shivered, grimacing at just how slimy Ric Lansing had been when her mother had been involved with him, much earlier in her own life.

Not that her own birth father was much better, but at least he didn't flaunt his status (like Sonny, Kristina's father) and try to be lord and master of all, or just do what Ric had done, walking out on Alexis and Molly when Molly was no more than an infant, not much older than Sam's own son Danny was currently. Alexis asked quietly, "What about Carolina? Did she get anything else from her dead husband's mother?"

"Not really. But the woman is still insisting that she get at least one unsupervised visit. I've got a really, really bad feeling about that too." Sam said as she shifted Danny around in her lap, looked at the picture of all of them sitting on the mantle, smiling to herself a little. No matter what, they were all family, and they'd always lived by the motto 'family first'.

Now she had her whole family back, including a daughter she'd previously thought lost to her, and she wouldn't trade any of it for a second, complications included. And yes, there were a whole varied assortement of those. Their family wouldn't be as close knit and sometimes dysfunctional to a certain point, if there weren't complications.

"He's there, isn't he, Mom?" Sam asked, rolling her eyes at the thought of her own father, Julian Jerome. She didn't hate the man, she couldn't, he was her father and she had always wanted her father in her life, but she disliked the danger he presented to her life now that he was in it more. And she knew that Carolina was slightly annoyed by his constant meddling, making offers to 'pay off' her former mother in law, Lenore. Carolina was exactly like her father, Jason in that respect. Pride kept her from accepting help almost all the time.

And sometimes, she seemed so calm.. Sam wished that she could be that calm. She'd taken after her mother though. She sighed and said quietly, "If he's there, you need to remember what I said about him earlier. He wants something.. We just won't figure out what it is until it's too late, Mom."

Alexis sighed and said "I know, Sam. I'm the mother, remember? I'm an adult too, I can handle myself." as Sam said quietly, "I know, but I also know the history you two had back then."

Alexis sighed and the front door closed, Molly called out through the house, "Mom? Are you here?"

"Out on the patio, talking to your sister. Did you cool off?" Alexis asked as she let Sam go, hung up the phone and waited, Molly emerging from the door a few minutes later with an apple in her hands as she said "No, but Kristina made a few good points while we were talking."

"And they're probably the same few good points I made earlier when we fought about you moving." Alexis muttered as Kristina shook her head and said "No, I just reminded her that Ric's never been a father of the year winner.. he left her and he not only didn't bother trying to keep in touch, he didn't seem to care to. I also reminded her that if she leaves here, she's going to have to essentially start all over again in the school she goes to there. There goes her advanced placement courses, right down the drain." before flopping down onto a lawn chair, asking quietly, "Do you have a little while?"

"What's going on?"

"I just.. I've been thinking about Trae a lot lately.. I miss him mom. I shouldn't miss him this much. This shouldn't hurt like it does." Kristina admitted as Alexis sighed and hugged her daughter, said quietly, "We'll go into the kitchen and talk."

"Not until he's gone." Molly said as she shot a firm glare in Julian's general direction through the window of the house. Alexis sighed and then said quietly, "He's here about his case."

"You really do not need to go down this road, Mom.. Cut ties now. He's not a good guy, I mean there's just something... He's slimy, okay? Like Joe was.." Kristina said quietly as she looked at her mother intently and then added, "Besides. I just think if you really, really tried, you could actually find a good guy."

"And so could you. I know it hurts, but it's the same thing I've been telling your niece about grief. Eventually, whether you like it or not, you have to move forward and stop living in the past, in the memories. I hate seeing you in pain.. I hate seeing Molly angry with me, but I really am trying to do what I think is the very best for both of you." Alexis said as the three of them stood and walked into the house.

The door was knocked on and Carolina came in, fuming as she held Coraline, said to the little girl, "Tell Mimi what you told me happened to ya at daycare.."

Coraline said quietly, "My mean granny came. She try to make me leave with her. Ms. Georgie say I couldn't go. Then she wait outside my school and stare all day." while biting her thumb. Carolina poured herself a glass of tea with shaking hands and sat down in a chair, raked her hands through her long dark hair as she said quietly, "Grandma? If she's not out of Port Charles in a day or two, you might be defendin me in a murder trial. Because if she comes near my little girl again? I'm gonna kill her.. I was about to strangle her in the parking lot when I saw her but Logan happened to be there, got between both of us."

Alexis sighed and said quietly, "Go to the station and get a restraining order. I'll get to work on seeing if there's not some way I can't bar her from having any further contact with either of you on the grounds of harassment. In the meantime, what do you mean Logan happened to be there?"

"Well, apparently, that's the funny part of the story.. My little angel here, she decides to call the fire department on the payphone outside of the daycare center.. And she asked to speak to him."

Alexis stifled a laugh as Kristina and Molly tried not to choke on laughter with Molly asking, "How'd she get out to do it?"

"She said she had to use the bathroom. Went down the hall and called the dispatch, who called the fire department when they finally figured out what she was trying to say." Carolina groaned, shaking her head as she asked Molly, "And you? Did you calm down any?"

"A little, yeah. I'm still mad because mom won't even consider me moving in with my father.." Molly said cautiously as Carolina looked at her and said "And your mom probably has damn good reasons."

Being a mother herself, and being a child to an equally stubborn mother, she understood both sides of her aunt's current dilemma. But she'd met Ric Lansing and she wasn't thrilled with him, either.

"Not now." Alexis said quietly, as Molly sighed, going silent, staring at the tea glass in her hands, biting her lower lip. "I just miss him, okay? I mean he's here now and he says he wants to be in my life. I want to at least attempt to give him a chance."

"I understand this, Molly, but you can do that here, without moving there with him. I just don't think it's a good idea." Alexis said calmly as Carolina nodded in agreement, looked at her cell phone, groaning when she realized it was Georgie calling about earlier, what'd happened at the daycare center she ran part of the day.

"I'm gonna take this." she said as she ducked out of the room. The door shut and Kristina said casually, "So, Corky.. What'd you say when you called Logan?"

"Just said I wanted to talk to my daddy, then told 'em his name." Coraline muttered, eating a doughnut that Molly had snuck out of a covered dish hidden in the back of the fridge.

"Where'd you get that?" Alexis groaned as she gave her daughter a dirty look, Molly shrugging and licking the powder off of her fingers as she said through a mouth full, "What? It's okay to have a little candy."

Kristina picked up the little girl and laughing she said "And, did he come?"

"Mhmm.. And he started cussin at that mean lady too. He was grabbin Mama, but he was yellin at her too, say he thought she was stupit. Say that her son wouldn't have want her to treat the mother of his little girl the way she was." Coraline said, stumbling over the bigger words she said as she looked at Alexis then asked "Can I has another?"

"Not right now. Right now, we need to get all of the powder off of you." Alexis said as she dabbed at the little girls nose and cheeks with a damp cloth, laughing when Coraline tried to take her glasses and wear them, announcing, "I pretty and smart too!"


	14. Chapter 14

_(A/N: Hope you guys are still reading this. I'm trying to bring a lot more back to the show that I miss seeing, like Davis family, JaSam, and of course Logan in a semi redeemed role. That being said, it's been fun working on this particular story, I just hope it's actually worth a crap to read for you all. I wanna thank all my 8 reviews, you guys have kept me going this far, and my 12 followers, the 4 who favorited this story. I cannot express how much the reviews and the alerts added mean to me.)  
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><p><em>CHAPTER 14<em>

_He's Peeta AND Gale, It's Like Two Guys In One  
><em>

She felt weird, leaving Coraline with her mom and dad, going out with Logan on an actual date, not just somewhere as two friends getting to know one another. She hardly did anything without her little girl, and she hadn't really dated in so long she just wasn't sure how it was going to go. Logan seemed as nervous as she was, which helped a little.

"We're not watchin that." Logan said as Carolina pouted and said "But it's Catching Fire. I've wanted to see the movie since I read the books. It's not that much of a chick flick." with Logan arguing "Mhmm, and that's what you said about the first one too, darlin." which made her chuckle and look up at him, say calmly, "Yeah? Well it's funny you mention that, Baldwin. Because if memory serves, you were the one over there sniffling when Rue got killed during the Games."

"She was a kid, it was sad. That's not the point." Logan said as he added "That's a good one, Need For Speed." making Carolina grumble, glare at him playfully a moment as she said "It's about a video game." pouting. He looked at her, laughing a little as he leaned in and put his arm around her and then said "Okay, alright, damn it. This one better not make me even feel like I'm gonna cry or.."

"Or nothing, Baldwin. It's okay to cry. Men cry all the time." Carolina insisted as she looked up at him, leaning in a little. He laughed and shook his head muttering "Right.. Like men wear pink."

"They do." Carolina said as he shook his head no then laughed and said "Well, that one doesn't start until 10.. Which means I'm findin food." as he grabbed her hand, making a beeline for the ticket line and then onward to the food court in the mall. Rounding the corner, they all nearly collided with more shoppers but Logan grabbed her arm quickly, keeping her from falling, also smooshing her against his chest. She looked up and laughed a little, winking as she said "And you say you're not like Peeta."

"I'm not, damn it."

"But you just kept me from busting my ass. Peeta saves Katniss." Carolina argued playfully, just to make him scowl at her a little. Them being out together, alone, just the two of them, on an actual date and not just two friends going to goof off wasn't nearly as awkward as she'd feared it'd be. It was almost like their outings as friends, maybe just a little more touching, a little more laughing, none of the long awkward pauses there had been during the first few times they'd went out somewhere together. Of course, they were having to do most of the talking given that Coraline wasn't with them, she wasn't making them laugh, dragging them to look at things in the mall, making jokes.

"I miss her." Logan said with a laugh as Carolina laughed and nodding said "Me too. Is it bad that I love having my little girl underfoot all the time?" which Logan nodded his head no to and then said "She's a cute kid. Smart as hell too.." while taking a bite of his burger, adding as he chewed thoughtfully, "That other day when she called me. Oh man the guys laughed their asses off. I'm glad she felt safe enough to call me.. Nobody's ever.. Nobody's ever really trusted me like that before, depended on me."

"I know.. She really doesn't trust too many that easily, either." Carolina admitted as she leaned in, wiping ketchup off of his mouth, laughing when he said "At least I'm not gettin it on my forehead, darlin."

"Scuse me?" she started, only to have him dab at her forehead, come away with a napkin that had a ketchup trail on it. She groaned and palming her face said "I'm messy when I eat, so sue me."

"It's cute. Most girls just kinda pick at their food." Logan said as he smiled then asked "Ready to head to the theater yet?"

"Maybe we can step outside for a few minutes? I was thinkin of calling my little angel, telling her goodnight before we got into the theater and the movie started?" Carolina asked, Logan nodding and saying with a smirk, "Yeah, I was gonna ask you if you wanted to do that." as he stood, pulled her up easily, making her smile.

Maybe this could work out for them.. Maybe she could move on and put the grief behind her, let someone else into her life, her life with her daughter. She was wary, but nights like tonight, she had this feeling that maybe, just maybe, Logan was her Peeta.. Maybe he was the guy she needed to be with. Things in life, did after all happen for a reason.


	15. Chapter 15

_(A/N: Hope you guys are still reading this. I'm trying to bring a lot more back to the show that I miss seeing, like Davis family, JaSam, and of course Logan in a semi redeemed role. That being said, it's been fun working on this particular story, I just hope it's actually worth a crap to read for you all. I wanna thank all my 8 reviews, you guys have kept me going this far, and my 12 followers, the 4 who favorited this story. I cannot express how much the reviews and the alerts added mean to me.)  
><em>

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><p><em>CHAPTER 15<em>

_An Accidental Meeting  
><em>

_(Ethina's Beginning)_

"Corky, this isn't funny. Where the heck did you hide at now?" Kristina asked aloud as she turned around and around in the park's playground. She'd been watching Coraline, her niece's daughter for her niece while she worked and Coraline could sometimes be a handful as most little kids are. Today was one of those days, apparently. She turned around and found herself looking up into his warm and chocolate brown eyes and for a moment, she felt her heart racing, her throat going dry. Instead of going to his arms like she wanted, she said quietly, "Ethan.. Thought you said you were done with Port Charles." as she looked at him. He smiled and then stepped to the side asked quietly, "Are you missing someone, love?"

"Corky, what the heck? Where'd you get ice cream?" she asked as Ethan raised his hand a little, gave that charming half smirk before answering "She got it from me. She snuck off, huh?" he asked, though what he really wanted to know was if the little girl was her daughter.. Was he too late? Was the reason he'd come back to Port Charles a non valid one anymore?

He instantly felt himself hating whoever might be the lucky bastard that'd gotten her. But he kept quiet. Kristina laughed a little and then said "She does it a lot. Drives her mother crazy. I'm babysitting her, Ethan, she's my niece's daughter."

"Huh? What have I missed since I left?" Ethan asked with a raised brow as he felt himself breathing a little easier, felt the rage sliding back down, felt himself calming down. But he still didn't know if he was too late. Talk had her serious with some jerk named Trae, but beyond that last word he'd gotten about that, from his sister Lulu, there had been nothing.

What if Trae were still an issue?

"Well, Sam's daughter, her oldest child is actually still alive.. Sam found her not too long ago. Now she's living here. I'm going to PCU and trying to work through some things and Molly's basically tried to go wild on all of us lately. Same old stuff, different day.. But that's probably all childish." Kristina said as she watched his face, watched her words hit their mark. He'd used that excuse to run from her when she'd lain it all out, told him how she felt about him. He'd left town and not once in almost 2 years had he looked back, called or written.

The message had been clear to her. And it still stung.

She'd gotten it loud and clear, and when he'd left, she'd told herself she was done with him, done with being 'too childish' for a man she'd die to love. She was older now, a little more jaded due to recent losses, and this older and wiser Kristina was focusing on school, on her career, on getting an apartment and just getting past the hell that losing Trae had put her through.

Ethan, of course, was aware of her remark, what it meant. He sighed, his shoulders fell as he said quietly, "When I said that, K.. I was being bloody stupid."

"No, Ethan, you were right. But hey, I'm not anymore, and it doesn't matter." Kristina muttered quietly as Coraline looked from the guy her mom's aunt was talking to, to her mom's aunt, then said quietly, "Why you so sad? She never smile mister.. I see her smile one time." with Kristina shrugging then muttering "Aunty K's not sad. She's just tired.. Something." as she bent to pick up Coraline, wiping at the little girl's mouth. Ethan caught her chin in his hand and then asked "Why don't you smile?"

She shrugged and muttered quietly, "I'd rather not talk about it." which only made Ethan shake his head and insist, "I need to talk to you, Kristina. There's something I have to tell you." as she looked at him a few moments, then at her niece's little girl, asking the little girl, "Do we trust him? Or do we tell him to scram?"

"Talks to him!" Coraline said as she licked her ice cream, adding through a messy mouth full, "He not a bad person, he buy me ice cream." while looking up at her mommy's aunt. She smiled and Kristina nodded to a bench and then said "I gotta admit, Ethan, you're still smooth.. Buying a kid ice cream so that I might wanna talk to you." but his lips pressed against hers in mid sentence had her gasping, eyes going wide, made her pull back and look at him with a supremely confused look on her face.

Hadn't he called her too childish before? Hadn't he left town because she wasn't enough, he needed adventure, he needed a more adult woman? He'd certainly said those things then. Ethan chuckled a little then fell silent under her glare as he muttered "Had to do something." before saying moments later, " When I said all that, I just.. I realized then how much you meant to me and I didn't want to mess it up. Or you to get tired of me, realize just how much bloody better you could do. I wanted you to go to Yale, I didn't want you abandoning your ambitions."

"Yeah? Well I wound up doing it anyway. Things happened... I.. I was getting over you and I met someone.. Things were great and then they just.. They fell apart. Now I'm just getting it all back together. So I don't want someone who isn't going to stick around coming back into my life, I don't need that. I need someone who won't just vanish in the middle of the night, Ethan."

"I know, Kristina." Ethan said as Coraline said quietly, " Give him chance."

"I'd love to if I thought he'd actually mean what he said." Kristina said quietly as she collected her niece's daughter from between their laps, went to stand only to be pulled back down by Ethan who thrust an envelope at her. "Look at it."

She looked at it and then at him and said quietly, "So you're buying Johnny's part of the Star.. That doesn't guarantee you'll be sticking around." with a wary tone to her voice, a hurt look in her eyes that almost killed him. He sighed and said "I have an apartment now.. Down the hall from that idiot Logan." while dangling the keys at her, managing a smile. He knew when he'd left, what he'd done and said had hurt her. Now he knew he had a long road ahead to make it up to her, but he was back now, and he wasn't letting her go without a fight.

"I'm going home now.. If you are really serious, Ethan, you can come by my mom's later. I need to get Corky out of this chilly wind." Kristina said quietly, standing reluctantly as she looked at him. She wanted more than anything to believe him, but she needed to wait, she needed to know he was going to stay. And the only way that was going to happen was him proving himself to her. Proving he really didn't mean all those things, that he knew he'd been wrong to leave. She'd been hurt so much the past few years that she was just getting tired of being hurt.

"I'll be there." he called out as he smiled a little, then frowned, watching her walk away. He had to make her happy again, he had to fix this, if it killed him or damn nearly killed him to do so. He couldn't lose her, not when he knew now just how much he loved her and how much he always had, despite age, despite any of the thousands of other obstacles in their way.

"I'll be there." he muttered as he turned and walked down the street in the direction of the dock for the Star. After he talked to Lulu, he'd go over to Ms. Davis's house and hope that maybe that would at least start the process of convincing Kristina he really meant this, that he really loved her.


	16. Chapter 16

_(A/N: Hope you guys are still reading this. I'm trying to bring a lot more back to the show that I miss seeing, like Davis family, JaSam, and of course Logan in a semi redeemed role. That being said, it's been fun working on this particular story, I just hope it's actually worth a crap to read for you all. I wanna thank all my 10 reviews, you guys have kept me going this far, and my 12 followers, the 4 who favorited this story. I cannot express how much the reviews and the alerts added mean to me.)  
><em>

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><p><em>CHAPTER 16<em>

_Coming Home To You_

He raised a brow as he stopped outside the door of his newly purchased apartment, hearing the sounds of music or a television going inside. He'd went for his gun, but then he heard the two distinct female laughters he'd come to know and truth be told, grow attached to in the past few months he'd known them. He put the gun back into it's holster at his hip and knocked, called out "Anyone gonna let me in? Or is this a girl thing?"

Seconds later, the door opened and Coraline giggled as she called out "He home, Mama." and motioned to be picked up by Logan who asked with a smile, "So you did decide to come see me?"

Coraline nodded and said "Mama say you need to clean up this pigsty. We cleanin it." as Logan chuckled. The scent of food hung in the air, it smelled like either Alfredo or chicken spaghetti, he wasn't sure which, but the smell had his stomach rumbling and reminded him just how hungry he was, and how tired of eating takeout and burgers he was as well. He looked around the apartment and smiled to himself a little, it'd been cleaned. Gone were the boxes of old pizza, the sports sections that littered the table in front of his couch. "I'm gonna be able to still find shit, right?" he asked as Carolina peeked out of the kitchen and laughing said "Yeah, silly. That's what the table is for, duh." nodding at the table that'd once been hidden by all the various junk he left there.

"Haha, smartass." Logan said as he pulled her into a kiss then asked "What's cookin?" while looking at her, smiling and shifting Coraline from his arms to his shoulder where she sat, giggling. "Chicken spaghetti. I thought we'd come by and see if you needed any help settling into the place. We did promise to visit, remember?" Carolina asked as he nodded and smiled then said "It's been a damn long day. You have no idea how happy I am right now. I was thinkin I'd have to call and cancel our thing tonight just to sleep." which had Carolina answering "We don't have to go out, we can stay here.. The three of us. Molly's out with Rafe and Kristina's off with some guy named Ethan, they're talking.. My mom and dad were gone to a movie when I left, they took Danny to see that new Lego movie, so we figured we wanted to spend the night here, with you.. Didn't we Coraline?"

Coraline nodded and said with a smile, "Had to come over anyway, I made ya somethin at daycare today. It's green!" excitedly as she climbed down his body and ran to her sparkly pink and purple bookbag next to the door of his apartment, pulling out a piece of poster paper covered in green and silver sparkles.

"For St. Patricks day, huh?" Logan asked as he stuck it on the shelf above his fireplace and said "I'm never gonna take it down, pretty girl." which made Coraline giggle and then say "We eat now? I starving."

"Food's actually just finishing. Hope you like garlic cheese toast." Carolina said as she hugged against Logan a few moments longer, muttered quietly, "I needed this, tonight. Today has been hell."

"What happened?"

"I'll tell you when Coraline's watching The Guardians." Carolina said quietly as Logan looked at her, his stomach churning. She couldn't be changing her mind about them being together already, right? He nodded and then said with his best smile, "I love garlic cheese toast. My mom used to make it a lot."

"The woman who raised me, she did too." Carolina said as she looked at him and then groaned as she said in his ear, "Would you relax? Everytime I tell you I have to talk to you or something you get this look.. Like I'm gonna walk out the door. Look, I said I wanted to give this a chance and I meant it. What I have to tell you concerns you, but it's nothing like that, okay?"

"You sure?"

"If I were going to break up with you, Baldwin, do you really think I'd use the spare key to break in here, clean this damn pigsty up and cook for you?" Carolina asked as he chuckled and thought about it. It wouldn't make sense he figured, the nerves he'd had building began to ease and he said aloud, "So, you two wanted to come down here and eat with me?" smiling to himself as he said the words. Them being here when he came home felt right. It felt good and he would be lying if he didn't say that he hadn't pictured it a lot in his mind lately.

But he was going to take things slowly, they both had their issues to work through. He didn't want to rush into things this time and have them all blow up in his face again. This time, he wanted this to work more than he had anything in a really, really long time.

"Basically, yeah. I just wanted to be with you and so did Corky, we figured you'd be tired when you came in, so we figured that we'd come to you tonight." Carolina admitted as he smiled and kissed her forehead muttering "I'm glad you did. Because I am exhausted. And I'm hungry. I agree with Corky darlin, we need food."

She nodded and got the plates out, filling them with food. She smiled to herself as she peeked into the living room and saw him sitting with Coraline in his lap, the two of them watching the movie she'd picked to bring, laughing. This was definitely something she could get used to if she let herself.


	17. Chapter 17

_(A/N: Hope you guys are still reading this. I'm trying to bring a lot more back to the show that I miss seeing, like Davis family, JaSam, and of course Logan in a semi redeemed role. That being said, it's been fun working on this particular story, I just hope it's actually worth a crap to read for you all. I wanna thank all my 10 reviews, you guys have kept me going this far, and my followers, the ones who favorited this story. I cannot express how much the reviews and the alerts added mean to me.)  
><em>

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><p><em>CHAPTER 1<em>_7_

_A Little Girl And Her Daddy_

_"_We watch Tangled." Coraline said as she climbed onto the couch, held out the dvd to Logan who chuckled and then said "You sure?"

"I wanna see it!" Coraline begged as she looked up at him with widened eyes. The same eyes that Carolina used when she wanted something. It felt nice, to be looked at like that, to be wanted by someone, and not just because your true first choice wasn't in the picture. Finally, the thing he'd nearly ruined his life for before, was happening to him.

He, Logan Baldwin, was someone's first choice.

"It's almost 9." he commented as Coraline pouted a minute then said "It okay, you read to me. Please, daddy?" as she held out a thick book of fairytales. He chuckled and slid the throw blanket on his couch over her and himself and pulling her into his lap, he let her wiggle into place as he said "Which story?"

"Mama was readin me Jack And The Beanstalk.. But Grampa was readin me Goldilocks." Coraline said as he chuckled and said "So this is how you manage to get another hour after bedtime, huh? Wish I'd have been that smart at your age."

She smiled brightly and said "I can't sleeps when mama's gone late. And I worried too. Aunt Kristina say that my not grandma tryin to take me and mama gotta meet and argue with her tonight because of that. Everybody went.. But me.. Mama said it wasn't gonna be good for me to go, but that you wanted me to come over."

He nodded and said with a yawn, "I did. And I'm worried too, Sweet pea.. But you gotta sleep too, okay?"

"If you will, I will." she promised as he finally settled on a story, Rapunzel, and let her settle in on the couch beside him.

She'd just fallen asleep when Ethan and Kristina knocked and called from the hallway, "Let us in." He stood and after settling cushions around Coraline so she didn't roll off, he opened the door and said "What's up? Everything's okay, right?"

"Came to see my little corkscrew." Ethan joked as he added quietly, "It's going.. Slowly, but it's going, mate." and Kristina added "She's going to be mad and tired when she gets back to Sam and Jason's."

"What's going on?" Logan asked as he added "Need me to take Coraline and hide out?" which made Kristina shake her head and then say quietly, "Just meeting that woman she has to deal with.. Let's put it this way, my mom's almost exploded on her twice and Sam, she's blown it to the point that she had to be removed from the court room."

Logan chuckled and then asked quietly, "But she's gonna get to keep Coraline.. Right?" as Ethan took a bite of an apple he'd put out for Coraline earlier, but she hadn't eaten, and said calmly, "Oh she's keeping her.. If the lot of us have to take and run with her." Kristina snuggled against Ethan and raked her hands through her niece's daughter's hair as she said quietly, "I definitely agree. But we wanted to come up and talk to you, Logan.. Just in case it comes down to that.."

"What do you mean?"

Ethan spoke up and said "One of the guys.. Heard him talking on the phone outside of the courthouse.. He was talking to someone about how hard it'd be to get a little girl new identification, to fake a death and get her out of the country, hiding her for a few years.."

Logan growled and the beer can he held in his fist was crushed. He stood and then asked "And you two came to me first why?"

"Because, Logan, you're dating her. And Coraline sees you as daddy. We wanted to warn you." Kristina said as Ethan added, "Besides, your father.. If you tell him, maybe he and Anna can stop it from happening? And you're not up to your neck in trouble again?"

"It'd be worth it this time." Logan grumbled as he paced and then said "Let me call my dad.. Do you guys think he'd try it tonight?"

"We don't know, that's why we snuck away and came straigh here. We knew she was here with you.. And apparently, they know too." Kristina said quietly as Logan looked at Coraline, remembered how he felt a few moments before when she called him daddy, when she came over to visit and asked him a thousand questions.

The little girl lying on his couch, asleep under his Astros blanket hadn't ever really had a father. To her, Logan was daddy and not just because her mom was currently with him. Because he actually for all intents and purposes acted like a real father would act.

And right now, the little girl might be in danger.

"Is Luke on his boat?"

"Logan, mate, whatever you're up to.."Ethan warned as Logan said calmly, "Just thinking ahead, thats all.. If someone's on that boat, I can leave you three there and sit here, wait on those bastards to show and try something."

"Or, Logan, you could call your father." Kristina said quietly as he nodded and picked up his phone, bit back his own stubborn pride and made a call he wasn't too thrilled to be making.

His father picked up, sounded sleepy. "What's wrong?"

"Might need your help, old man." Logan said as he explained the situation. After a few moments, Scott said quietly, "I'm gonna make a few calls. You sit tight.. If anything goes down before I call back, hide her in the closet and get your gun."

He hung up and then said "Fuck it.. I still say I like my plan better.. Dependin on that man is risky." as he paced and Kristina said aloud, "What if I took her and hid her with me and Molly for a few hours? Ethan could come with us, he knows where I'm thinking about taking her.. We could tell Jason and Sam where we take her.."

"And I stay here and wait on one of those jackasses to make a move, huh? Because the only way they're getting her is over my dead body. That little girl means as much to me as her mom does. I'm really all they got besides you guys."

Kristina nodded and smiling said "I knew there was a softie in there somewhere, Baldwin." as she stood and walked into the kitchen, looked at the fridge, all the pictures and 'artwork' on it. She smiled to herself and then texted Sam back, letting her know that she'd gotten to Logan, told her what she'd overheard in the hallway of the courtroom and that Sam or Carolina didn't have to worry.

Logan wasn't going to let anything happen to either of them.

Sam nudged Jason and said "Apparently, Logan's furious now. And said nothing's going to happen to Coraline, because he's not going to let it." as Jason nodded and said "Me either.. Just as soon as I can, I'm going to slip out, go up there."

"Don't you go getting shot at."

"And you.. Find some way to get what they said on tape, let the judge hear it." Jason said as he kissed Sam on the head and then said "And stay out of trouble, okay?"

"I make no promises. That icy hearted woman in there is about to seriously piss me off. I'm gonna go find Mom and let her know what Kristina and Ethan overheard in the hall while the court was in recess."

Jason nodded and leaned back a little, giving one of the men a dirty look as he stood and prepared to walk they were going to be stupid enough to try something, he wasn't going to let it go down without a fight.

Sam nudged her mom and Julian turned around. She grumbled and said "I need to talk to my mother.. In private." as Alexis raised a brow but called for a quick recess and followed Sam out into the hallway, then into an empty room.

"What's going on?"

"Kristina and Ethan left earlier.. And when they did, they overheard something that woman might or might not be planning to do. If I can get it on tape, Mom.. Do you think you can get the judge to listen to it?"

"What's going on, Sam?" Alexis asked as Sam said "I don't want to tell Carolina and scare her, but they might be planning to kidnap Coraline during the proceedings at some point or another."

"So that's where Jason went?" Alexis asked as Sam said "It is.. Logan has a plan and according to Kristina, he called Scott.. So people know what's happening.. The key is to stop it from happening." Sam said through gritted teeth as she glared back into the courtroom.

Scott knocked on the door of his son's apartment, called out through the door, "It's me, Logan."

The door opened and Logan opened it, holding Coraline, who was wearing a Dallas Cowboy's tshirt that was too large for her, she looked like she was crying. Logan said calmly, "Come in." as he s tepped out of the doorway and said "Well?"

"Anna's on it. Dante's gonna come up here and sit with you, just in case.. But I'm curious.. Do you have any sort of backup plan?" he asked as he eyed his son in concern, his hand in his thinning light brownish blond hair.

Ethan spoke up and said "We're going to take her to this cabin Sam and Jason have on the lake.. And then we're gonna text Sam and Jason, let them know where we are. If we have to.." Kristina finished as she added, "We're hoping, sir, it doesn't come to that."

"And where the hell are you gonna go, Logan?" Scott asked as Logan said "I'm gonna sit right here, drink a beer with my loaded gun and wait. Because the second one of those idiots dare come here? I'm shooting."

"Let the law handle this, son."

"Dad.. the law's gonna drag ass. I'm not letting something happen to either of my girls because some idiot cop dragged ass. The only one out of the lot of you I trust is Coop."

"I'll send him too." Scott said as he looked at his son, gave a slightly knowing smile as he said quietly, "I get it. Don't think I don't. But I thought I lost you once, damn it, son."

"He's gonna have backup." Jason said as he stepped in and took Coraline from Logan, raising a brow at the Cowboys shirt. Logan explained, "She didn't feel so good, got sick on me. I've been up and down with her for a little while now. She knows something's wrong and it's scarin her, I think." as Jason nodded and said "She's gonna be okay."

"She is."Logan echoed as everyone cleared out for now, going back to the courthouse, or back home, just so it wouldn't be so suspicious that the plans of Carolina's former mother in law had been discovered.

Jason sat on the couch, watched Logan like a hawk as the kid moved around the apartment with Coraline, trying to get her calm again, back to sleep. He finally stood and said "Not that I'm trying to help you, but sometimes, if you sit her on your lap and bounce with her.. It helps.. Like it does with Danny."

Logan nodded and took Coraline back then said "I ain't gonna hurt them.. Either of them."

"You better not." Jason said calmly as he took a few sips of a soda he'd grabbed then said "Not saying I like or dislike you.. I really don't know much about you other than all that stuff you got into when you first came to town.. But she's my daughter.. And I'm not going to just let her be with someone who's not serious and is only going to hurt her in the long run."

"If I were, Jason.. I never would have opened up and tried getting to know her, I never would have let either of them get close to me." Logan said as he added "And if you ask me, sir.. She could have done a lot worse."

Jason nodded knowingly as he said "It could have been that damn Zacarra." as he looked at Logan and then said "We understand each other then.. I'm her father.. If you hurt her, Logan.. I will kill you."

"Understood." Logan muttered as he bounced Coraline on his knees, got her to start looking as if she were sleepy again.

For right now, all was good, everyone was okay..


	18. Chapter 18

_(A/N: Hope you guys are still reading this. I'm trying to bring a lot more back to the show that I miss seeing, like Davis family, JaSam, and of course Logan in a semi redeemed role. That being said, it's been fun working on this particular story, I just hope it's actually worth a crap to read for you all. I wanna thank all my 10 reviews, you guys have kept me going this far, and my followers, the ones who favorited this story. I cannot express how much the reviews and the alerts added mean to me.)  
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><p><em>CHAPTER 1<em>_8_

_When I Needed Him The Most_

The next day was every bit as gruelling as she figured it'd be, and by the time she had to report back to the courthouse, she was pretty much just sick of it all. She sighed as her former mother in law began bringing up more ways that she was 'unfit' to raise her own damn child, using any and everything she could think of against her, grasping at straws really by that point.

Sam tapped her daughter on the shoulder and said "Your grandmother's about to fix that. Don't worry. And I think I just saw someone walk in, a surprise guest." as Carolina looked up and around. Her eyes met with Logan's and her daughter waved with a bright grin from his arms as Logan walked up to Alexis first, and then to the judge, whispering. A few moments later, she was being handed her daughter, and Logan took the stand.

Logan sat easily in the seat and waited, patient, smirking a little. When his father suggested coming to court and telling what Ethan and Kristina overheard that Carolina's former mother in law had up her sleeve, he'd almost decided not to do it, just because parts of him wanted the woman to be stupid enough to try it.

Then Scott also mentioned that his being a character witness wouldn't hurt either, and Logan decided that yes, they both needed him and yes, he was going to do whatever it took to keep Coraline with Carolina, to keep 'his girls' together, safe and happy.

Because, make no mistakes, they were very much his girls now.

Carolina smiled at him and mouthed "Thank you. For coming today." and he smiled and nodded. The questioning began, Alexis wasn't impartial, not by any means, and she hit him with everything she could because she'd already forewarned him that the other side's lawyer was probably going to do just as bad, if not worse.

He answered everything, adding at the end, "It might not mean much from a bum like me, sir, but if you ask me? The only reason that woman, Lenore, even wants her grandchild is to punish Carolina for something that was outta her hands. I was a soldier too, sir, lot of good and brave men died there." before the other lawyer came forward, questioned him. He rehashed every stupid and bad thing he'd done in his past, but made sure to emphasize that he wasn't the same man anymore, and that Carolina wasn't his wife, so he wouldn't be a so called 'danger', to Coraline. His stomach churned nervously as he squeezed into the seat beside her when he was done being questioned, she squeezed his hand and leaned in and whispered "I think.. No, I know I love you.. You didn't have to do all that and you did."

"Because, darlin.. The only way she's gettin Corky is over my dead body. She's as much my kid now as she is yours.. Didn't realize just how much I meant that until the other night when I thought we might be losin her. She settled down, right?"

Carolina nodded and smiled as she said "Mom had to take her into the hallway because she kept calling Lenore 'devil woman' and making crosses at her. Wonder where she might have gotten that one from, huh?" as she raised a brow at him and laughed as she leaned up, kissed his cheek and said "I'm glad you came here today. I didn't want you to see this, but I realized how much I needed you when you walked in."

Logan chuckled and said "Between my dad and yours, Carolina, don't think either of 'em were gonna let me just sit up there. Jason got sick of me callin the shop every few minutes to ask if anyone had called to tell him anything. He really wanted to come today, he and my dad are the ones who asked Alexis if my accounts of you with Corky might help sway things in your favor."

"I figured he suggested it. He couldn't come back, not after he and Lenore's hired guard got into it in the hallway. My grandma Monica said it took at least 3 bailiffs to break them apart and my godfather, Sonny said that if he'd been able to get to his gun quick enough the crooked cop situation in Port Charles would've been taken care of."

Logan snickered and then kissed her forehead as he said "Kristina and Molly are gonna take Coraline when the court goes to recess in a few. And I'm gonna take ya to get something to eat."

"I am kinda hungry. When this is over, Logan, remind me to give you a back massage." she said as he smirked and winked at her, making her shake her head and blush all over.

She knew now, he was in this for good.. He wasn't just going to vanish one day, and knowing that, well.. It meant everything to her, it really did.

And having her family with her throughout all of this, as opposed to what she would have been doing, going it alone, was happiness beyond her wildest dreams. Maybe things would be okay and settle down when the trial was over.


End file.
